Gendered contract in transition. A study of how space and gender contract are enacted when working from home during the COVID-19 pandemic

This article explores how spatial boundaries between paid work, unpaid work, and private life were enacted in Swedish households during the COVID-19 pandemic. Combining gender theory with boundary theory, we analyze how spatial arrangements and gender contract were enacted. The study draws on photo-elicitation interviews (PEIs) conducted twice during the pandemic, allowing participants to visually document their home workspaces and discuss their experiences. This method provided deeper insights into the spatial organization of paid and unpaid work and how couples adapted their living environments to accommodate remote work. Using the concept of gender contracts – social agreements regulating relations between men and women – we identify three contract types: Divided, Fluid, and Shared, each reflecting different degrees of change in gendered work arrangements. Our findings show that increased autonomy in work arrangements has either reinforced or challenged traditional gender norms, depending on household negotiations and resource distribution.