THE ROLE OF THE HOME ECONOMICS PROFESSION IN THE REPRODUCTION OF SOCIAL RELATIONS: AN EXPLORATION OF SELECTED THEORETICAL AND HISTORICAL QUESTIONS

The question underlying this study is the involvement of the home economics profession in power relations. The study brings a critical dimension to the self-examination of the field of home economics. It examines how the political nature of activities of professionals have been understood and explores conceptual issues related to the analysis of power in home economics. The focus is on two sets of relations: the sexual division of labor and the division between intellectual and manual labor.;Alternative frameworks are required. The study suggests that analytical tools must first be developed to study specific power relations in which home economists are involved. Aspects of Foucault's work are introduced. His conceptualizations of knowledge and power seem useful for an analysis of power relations in home economics.;The final section explores the fruitfulness of using Foucault's strategy of discursive analysis. Using examples from the home economics literature, an analysis of the discourse of homemaking is developed and particular power relations are explored.;The exploratory analysis indicates that Foucault's approach illuminates power relations in home economics. Further research using this framework is suggested. The study indicates that the power relations in which home economists have been involved are complex. These power relations need to be considered when decisions are made about future goals and activities in the profession.;An analysis of historical literature on home economics indicates that studies written by home economists generally do not deal with power in the sexual division of labor or the division between intellectual and manual labor. The limitations of historical studies are explored. Functionalist tendencies are pointed out, and the limitations of functionalist approaches for dealing with questions of power are discussed. The influence of positivism is also noted. Using elements from Habermas' social theory, the limitations of a positivist philosophy and its social role are considered. This analysis lends weight to the proposal that home economists need to understand the political role of their profession, and indicates that frameworks used in existing historical studies are inadequate for that task.