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Andrea Doucet shares how care work has shaped her career
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In the News — November 17, 2025
Gordon Cleveland on the federal budget for early learning and child care
Canada’s child-care system is at risk of stagnation because the federal budget is not investing in expanding spaces or improving educator wages. Without treating child care as critical infrastructure—similar to housing—the country will fall short of meeting demand, leaving families on long waiting lists and missing out on major economic benefits from increased workforce participation.
In the News — November 6, 2025
Janna Klostermann discusses her new book, At the Limits of Care
On November 5th 2025, the Canadian Sociological Association hosted a meet the author webinar with Janna Klostermann, author of “At the Limits of Care: Gendered Work and Stories that Matter” with University of Toronto Press.
In the News — October 22, 2025
Vanessa Watts named Canada Research Chair in Colonial Histories and Indigenous Futures
McMaster University has named Vanessa Watts (Assistant Professor) as a new Tier 2 Canada Research Chair in Colonial Histories and Indigenous Futures
RC/W News — August 12, 2025
Kim de Laat on families using workplace apps to manage their personal lives
In this CBC podcast, Kim de Laat explains that the adoption of office tools and practices in family life is largely due to the rise in dual-earner households, with women still shouldering most unpaid household responsibilities. She notes that while these tools can help manage busy schedules, they often serve as a “band-aid” rather than addressing the root problem of being overburdened. As alternatives, Kim suggests simplifying household tasks and advocating for more flexible work policies from employers.
In the News — August 7, 2025
Manlin Cai on flexible work arrangements
Manlin Cai (Doctoral Candidate at UBC and RC/W research assistant) discusses how Canada lags behind peer countries in the rights it gives workers to ask for flexible work options.
RC/W News — July 15, 2025
RC/W Paper one of Families, Relationships and Societies’ most highly cited articles in 2024
Andrea Doucet’s article “Care is not a tally sheet: rethinking the field of gender divisions of domestic labour with care-centric conceptual narratives” was one of Families, Relationships and Societies’ most highly cited articles in 2024.
RC/W News — June 26, 2025
RC/W Newsletter 7
In the News — June 25, 2025
CCPA on maternity and parental leave
Katherine Scott, David MacDonald, and Ryan Heasman of the CCPA have written an article on enhancing federal maternity and parental leave in a post-pandemic world.
RC/W News — June 9, 2025
Andrea Doucet has received the Distinguished Professor Designation
The lifetime appointment is the highest honorary designation at Brock, recognizing full professors who have demonstrated exceptional research, scholarship or creative activity by the standards of their discipline.
RC/W News — May 16, 2025
Manlin Cai, Donna Lero, and Sylvia Fuller have published a Policy Brief with The Vanier Institute of the Family
This policy brief on Care/Work Policies for Managing Routine and Unpredictable Caregiving, reviews the current regulations for key employment rights in relation to routine caregiving responsibilities under the Canada Labour Code and provincial/territorial employment standards. It also uses data from the 2023 Canadian Survey on Early Learning and Child Care to shed light on parents’ access to provisions that support caregiving.