In a changing world, mothers are often the main or only breadwinners in a family, leaving the traditional idea of motherhood in the dust.

Balancing work and family, poverty, parenting and other issues facing mothers all over the world will be the topic of discussion at a conference Saturday.

“Motherhood in a Changing World” will feature discussions of issues from different perspectives, including analysis of how mothers are portrayed in art and literature and empirical research conducted by sociologists, said Jacquelyn Litt, associate professor of sociology and acting director of the women’s studies program.

“We wanted an interdisciplinary perspective on the changing conditions of mothering across the world,” Litt said.

Leslie Bloom, associate professor of curriculum and instruction and associate director of the women’s studies program, said it is a way for people to discuss issues facing mothers all over the world.

Although the importance of the conference is to discuss issues mothers face, much of the conference will focus on mothers in the United States, Litt said.

“I think that as a culture, we don’t spend enough time thinking about things from mothers’ perspectives,” she said.

Bloom said it will be a great opportunity to bring two communities together.

“From my perspective, [the conference is] an opportunity to bring together the academic community and the central Iowa non-academic community to talk about issues of mothering,” Bloom said.

Keynote speakers are Lynet Uttal, professor of human development and family studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and Ellen Lewin, professor of women’s studies and anthropology at the University of Iowa.

Uttal will speak on “Mothering Extended: Who’s Really Raising the Children Today?” Her presentation will focus on the demographic reality that most mothers now work outside the home, Litt said. Lewin’s speech is titled, “What Can Scholars of Motherhood Learn from Gay Fathers?”

There will also be four breakout sessions during the conference and a panel discussion featuring a range of mothering experiences, such as mothers from the Ukraine, black mothers, lesbian mothers and mothers in prison, Litt said.

The conference will start at 9 a.m. Saturday in the Campanile Room of the Memorial Union.

There will be an evening session from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring Sheryl St. Germain, director of the Center for Excellence in the Arts and Humanities and associate professor of English. She will discuss her book, “The Dark Behind Us,” which is about raising a son with Attention Deficit Disorder.