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Home economics

Home economics, also called domestic science or family and consumer sciences (often shortened to FCS or FACS),[1] is a subject concerning human development, personal and family finances, consumer issues, housing and interior design, nutrition and food preparation, as well as textiles and apparel.[2] Much less common today, it was, and is, mostly taught in secondary school or high school.

For other uses, see Home Economics (disambiguation).

Home economics courses are offered around the world and across multiple educational levels. Historically, the purpose of these courses was to professionalize housework, to provide intellectual fulfillment for women, to emphasize the value of "women's work" in society, and to prepare them for the traditional roles of sexes.[3][4] Family and consumer sciences are taught as an elective or required course in secondary education, as a continuing education course in institutions, and at the primary level.  


Beginning in Scotland in the 1850s, it was a woman-dominated course, teaching women to be homemakers with sewing being the lead skill. The American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences at the beginning of the 20th century saw Americans desiring youth to learn vocational skills as well. Politics played a role in home economics education, and it wasn’t until later in the century that the course shifted from being woman-dominated to now required for both sexes.[2]  


Now family and consumer science have been included in the broader subject of Career Technical Education, a program that teaches skilled trades, applied sciences, modern technologies, and career preparation.[5] Despite the widening of the subject matter over the past century, there has been a major decline in home economics courses offered by educational institutions.[6]  

Consumer economics

Domestic technology

Ellen Swallow Richards

Euthenics

Family (economics)

Homemaker

Human ecology

The Secret History of Home Economics

Goldstein, Carolyn M. (2012). . Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0807872383.

Creating Consumers: Home Economists in Twentieth-Century America

Lee, Tsz Ngong (1999). "Home Economics". In Altenbaugh, Richard J. (ed.). . Greenwood Press. pp. 175–176. ISBN 978-0313285905.

Historical Dictionary of American Education

Solomon, Barbara Miller (1985). . Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0300033144.

In the Company of Educated Women

Tolley, Kim (2003). The Science Education of American Girls. RoutledgeFalmer.  978-0415934732.

ISBN

Walker, Melissa (1998). . In Eisenmann, Linda (ed.). Historical Dictionary of Women's Education in the United States. Bloomsbury Academic. pp. 201–206. ISBN 978-0313293238.

"Home Economics"

Woody, Thomas (1929). A History of Women's Education in the United States. Vol. 2 (1966 reprint ed.). Octagon Press.

Nutrition Education - Making it work By Dr. Janet Reynolds

People and Practice: International Issues for Home Economists by Elanour Vaines, Doris Badir and Dianne Kieren

Toward an Ideal of the Person Educated in Home Economics: An Invitation to Dialogue by Jane Thomas and Gale Smith

Sustainable food futures: Lessons for home economics pedagogy and practice by Martin Caraher and Janet Reynolds

(2008). Perfection Salad. University of California Press.

Shapiro, Laura

International Federation for Home Economics (IFHE)

American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences

Teachers of Home Economics Specialist Association

Societies and associations


Resources