SCLG2623 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Washing Machine, Essentialism, Mcgraw-Hill Education
Document Summary
Domestic technology replacing female roles in the house. Before industrialization the family was a basic social unit. In these pre-industrial families women had a lot to do and their time was spent in household tasks. The household is no longer the focus of production; production for consumption and the marketplaces has moved to other locations. Social functions families perform is less thus the bonds between them is loosened. There exists a time lag- industrial technologies have replaced female functions in the home but modern ideologies have not kept pace with the change-women suffer from role anxiety, diverse, labor, feminism. Small electric appliances followed quickly the heels of the electric light. Electric irons eased much burden and were inexpensive. However the washing machine did not reduce much time on laundry as they were not automatic and did not spin dry. During the 1920s many homes were fitted with central heating.