Andrea Doucet facts for kids

Andrea Doucet (born around 1960) is a Canadian social scientist and writer. A social scientist studies how people live and interact in society. She is a professor of sociology and gender studies at Brock University. She also holds a special position called the Canada Research Chair in gender, work, and care. This means she is a leading expert in how gender affects work and family life. She used to be an editor for an academic journal called Fathering.

Early Life

Andrea Doucet was born in 1960 in Bathurst, New Brunswick, Canada. She grew up there in an English-speaking family. Her sister, Lyse Doucet, is a well-known chief correspondent for the BBC.

Education Journey

Andrea Doucet studied political theory at York University in Toronto for her first degree (BA). She then earned her master's degree (MA) in international development studies from Carleton University. In 1995, she completed her PhD (Doctor of Philosophy) in social and political sciences at Cambridge University.

Her Career in Sociology

From 1995 to 1996, Andrea Doucet worked at Cambridge University. She was a research fellow and also taught classes there. From 1995 to 1998, she was an assistant professor of sociology at St. Mary's University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She then became a professor of sociology at Carleton University from 1998 to 2011.

Since 2011, she has been a professor of sociology and gender studies at Brock University. She has also held the Canada Research Chair in gender, work, and care since 2011. This means she leads important research in these areas. People see her as an expert in understanding how families balance work and caring for others.

She was also an editor for an academic journal called Fathering: a Journal of Theory, Research, and Practice about Men as Fathers. This journal focused on research about men as fathers.

Understanding Family Roles

In 2009, when she was a sociology professor at Carleton University in Ottawa, Ontario, Doucet started a study. It was called the "Bread and Roses Project." In this project, she looked at families where women earned most of the money. She used information from both Canada and the United States.

In a 2010 interview, Doucet explained her findings. She said that as women earn more and men take on more caregiving, families have to adjust. It's not as simple as just switching roles. She also mentioned that it's normal for there to be some confusion about who does what. This happens as traditional gender roles change.

She noted that economic changes have made things difficult for many couples. Losing a job can cause a lot of stress. It makes both men and women learn new ways of doing things very quickly. Doucet's project showed that women's education and jobs have steadily increased. This has led to more women becoming the main earners in their families.

Research Projects

From 1998 to 2002, she led a research project. It was called "Fathers as Primary Caregivers." This project received funding from the Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC). The SSHRC is a Canadian government agency that helps fund research.

Awards

• 2007 John Porter Tradition of Excellence Book Award from the Canadian Sociological Association