למגפה יש מגדר: עבודה שקופה בראי מחקרים בתקופת הקורונה

The Covid-19 pandemic corresponds to the sociological characteristics of a ‘critical moment’, which contains the potential to change the social definition of a situation. Does this critical moment re-entrench gender norms, or might it also offer opportunities to disrupt them? We use the term ‘critical moment’ as a conceptual tool that can lead a change in social situation definitions, and simultaneously as a methodological tool for examining what is researched, how and what emerges from the research. This review article seeks to understand what was published in the sociological literature during the first two years of the pandemic regarding invisible work in the domestic sphere, the main issues discussed in these studies, and the organizing logic of this literature. Three main issues were at the heart of this literature: The effect of the pandemic on gender inequality in invisible work in the domestic space; challenging and reflecting on the dichotomy between private and public spheres; and a discussion of Covid-19’s implications on the care economy and the opportunity of rethinking and redefining invisible work. We end by suggesting thoughts regarding future directions of research.