Women′s Work in Kwangju from the Middle of 1950′s to the End of 1990′s

광주 여성의 생산활동 : 1950년대 중반부터 1990년 말을 중심으로

The purpose of this study is both to describe and to explain the shapes and the changes of Kwangju women's productive activities from the middle of 1950's to the end of 1990's. Productive activities in this study include wage labors as well as economic activities in informal labor sector and domestic labor. Three factors - economic structure, the family, and women's consciousness - are drawn to explain women's work in Kwangju. The period from the middle of 1950's to the end of 1990's has been divided into 5 stages and the characteristics of women's work at each stage are as follows : Kwangju women during 1950's worked hard and contributed to the family economy not only inside but also outside the family : during the second stage from 1960's to 1970's, they accomplished not only the traditional women's role but also industrial wage worker : the third period of the first half of 1980's was the time for the development of social consciousness : the fourth period from the end of 1980's to the beginning of 1990's was the time when women tried to solve their problems by themselves: during the last period from the middle of 1990's to the end of 1990's. Kwangiu women wanted to establish their identities in the independent area from their families.