‘Old’ and ‘new’ politics of time to care: three Norwegian reforms

Abstract

The social revolutions connected to postindustrialism are altering the landscape of social politics, affecting both the content and normative justification of policy reform. The changing ideational foundation of care policy is addressed in this case-study of Norway. The study examines the policy rationales of three major reforms in the 1990s concerning parents’ rights to time to care, by drawing on policy documents and parliamentary debates. A conceptual ‘trichotomy’ of key policy rationales - equality, recognition and choice - informs the empirical analysis. Analysed in context, the three reforms illustrate the multifaceted blend of ‘old’ and ‘new’ policy justifications, expanding the ‘political grammar’ of care policies.