Why a book on modern mothering? Motherhood and mothering are probably among the most researched subjects within various social sciences (such as sociology, psychology, anthropology) and inter-related subdisciplines (sociology of the family, the psychology of motherhood; anthropology of motherhood), yet the pace of social changes – transformations to women's roles in society, changing structures of family, debates about gender equity in employment, societal attitudes towards reproductive politics, and changing parenting practices – necessitates constant updates on mothering as a social phenomenon and everyday practice. This co-edited book comprises international scholarly biographical perspectives on mothering in and across diverse social and cultural contexts, highlighting cultural nuances surrounding mothering and the complexity of ‘ordinary’ and ‘everyday’ mothering practices. Significantly, this book comprises contributions from western and eastern Europe, western Asia, Canada, Australia and Africa, illuminating the complexity of a range of inter-related factors (for example, socio-political, cultural and economic) that shape and reflect mothering practices in contemporary global societies.

The initial idea for this co-edited book on biographical approaches to modern mothering sparked intensive discussion between the co-editors and authors about the results of several research projects (international collaborative projects and individual research) and publications on mothering that the co-editors previously completed, and identified areas that required further intensive academic exchanges. The 2017– 2019 international biographical study of mothers that was part of the EC Horizon 2020 ISOTIS project (Inclusive Education and Social Support to Tackle Inequalities in Society) was led by Lyudmila Nurse at the Department of Education University of Oxford. She worked in collaboration with Kateřina Sidiropulu-Janků (co-editor and author in this book) and Jana Obrovská (author in this book), who conducted their research in Czechia, and Katarzyna Gajek (author in this book), who conducted her research in Poland. Lisa Moran conducted biographical, narrative work with mothers of children who were in long-term foster care and residential care in Ireland and the UK, and interviewed mothers seeking asylum in the Republic of Ireland. These collaborations included intensive discussions about newly evolving topics of non-mothering with Joan Cronin (author in this book), mothering in economically difficult circumstances and the experiences of women whose voices are often marginalised from contemporary policy making and societal forums, including lone mothers, women who are divorced and/or separated and foster mothers of children who are in the care of child welfare systems internationally.