Mothers Unite!

A bold and hopeful new rallying cry for changing the relationship between home and the workplace.

Jocelyn Elise Crowley is Professor of Public Policy at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, as well as a member of the Graduate Faculty in the Department of Political Science and Affiliated Faculty Member of the Department of Women's and Gender Studies. She is the author of Defiant Dads: Fathers’ Rights Activists in America, also from Cornell, and The Politics of Child Support in America. Visit her website at jocelyncrowley.com.

Analyzing five national mothers' organizations, Rutgers public policy professor Crowley (The Politics of Child Support in America) makes her case for workplace flexibility as the issue most likely to unite American mothers into a coherent, politically effective "Mother’s Movement." The groups profiled include Christian-based Mothers of Preschoolers MOPS; Mothers & More, a support group for mothers moving in and out of the workplace; Mocha Moms, a support organization for mothers of color; the National Association of Mothers’ Centers NAMC, which offers childcare and activities for mothers and children; and MomsRising, an online group that discusses topics of national interest to mothers. Crowley shows that the participants in these groups are mostly looking for community and peer support, and are much less embroiled in the "Mommy Wars" than the media suggest. Both stay-at-home and working mothers see the value in having flexible career options. These groups’ members are mostly middle-class, leaving out some lower-income women who might be most affected by broad policy changes, and aside from Mocha Moms, they are overwhelmingly white. Nevertheless, Crowley’s data shows that these mothers are indeed interested in family-friendly workplace reform, and she optimistically posits that if the groups coordinated their efforts, they could become a force for change.

"What do mothers want? More specifically, what issue might be compelling enough to mobilize them politically? That's the question posed by Jocelyn Elise Crowley, a professor of public policy at Rutgers University.... All mothers want options. Crowleys' guidelines for advancing this cause—starting with groups recognizing their common ground—and data charts sometime s make this more of a textbook than a call to arms, but its message is nonetheless inspiring." BUST Magazine

Karen Damiano-Teixeira:

The book is well written and well organized. The language is easy to understand, kaning it accessible and useful to mothers who face such dilemmas, to policy makers, to employees, and to social service agencies. This book is particularly useful for those who wish to increase their knowledge of these issues, serving as an excellent reference.

Kathleen Gerson, Collegiate Professor of Arts & ScienceNew York University, author of The Unfinished Revolution: Coming of Age in a New Era of Gender, Work, and Family:

Kudos to Jocelyn Elise Crowley for addressing a question that few have dared ask: How can we bridge the real and illusory divides that separate employed and nonemployed women? While others focus on the putative mommy wars, Crowley shows clearly and convincingly that mothers from diverse backgrounds share common interests and possess the potential to become a powerful political force. This book is a must for anyone who cares about creating a more flexible, humane, and family-supportive workplace.

Judith Warner, author of Perfect Madness: Motherhood In the Age of Anxiety:

Mothers Unite! takes us beyond the Mommy Wars to paint a picture of hope: the prospect of diverse mothers' groups coming together to work for a better future. Jocelyn Elise Crowley intelligently unpacks abstract ideas about flexibility and mothers' solidarity (or lack thereof) to provide a clear road map for moving forward. Her book will open endless avenues for activism on behalf of families. She has made a truly meaningful contribution.

Anne-Marie Slaughter, Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Politics and International AffairsPrinceton University, author of The Idea that Is America: Keeping Faith with Our Values in a Dangerous World:

Mothers Unite! helps us understand an issue that completely puzzles citizens from other countries: why the over 70 percent of American women who work outside the home do not mobilize politically around issues of daycare, maternity leave, and flexible work practices. Better still, it offers a blueprint for change. A very interesting read!