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  5. Gender Norms and Beliefs
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Gender Norms and Beliefs

Paper Session

Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025 12:30 PM - 2:15 PM (PST)

The Marker Union Square San Francisco, Astor
Hosted By: Association for the Study of Generosity in Economics & International Association for Feminist Economics
  • Chair: Olga Shurchkov, Wellesley College

Being Feminist Economists Today: Identities, Challenges and Responses

Giulia Zacchia
,
Sapienza University of Rome
Rebeca Gomez Betancourt
,
University of Lyon
Naomi Friedman-Sokuler
,
Bar Ilan University

Abstract

Feminist economics challenges orthodox conceptions of the economy with its emphasis on social provisioning process and social justice through a holistic account of the ongoing relationships between gender, class, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and different social identities. Since the birth of IAFFE in 1992 and the creation of the academic journal Feminist Economics in 1995, feminist economists have placed themselves on the track of heterodox economics. However, today not all feminist economists self-identified as heterodox economists. Not all their works are part of heterodox economics. The complexity of navigating between mainstream and heterodox spaces is a fundamental feature of the experiences of early career feminist economists today. So, what is the relationship between feminist economics and heterodoxy in academic and research practice today? We propose a choral reflection to answer this question, firstly through the vision of the IAFFE members whom we interviewed through a survey and by reporting our direct experiences in our feminist academic practice.

Female Leaders and Intrahousehold Dynamics: Evidence from State Elections in India

S. Anukriti
,
World Bank
Bilge Erten
,
Northeastern University
Priya Mukherjee
,
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Abstract

We study the impact of women’s political representation on the wellbeing of their fe-
male constituents, specifically in the domain of health. Increasing women’s political
representation leads to greater public provision of reproductive healthcare services in
rural areas. Consequently, rural women can exercise greater control over their re-
productive choices through the adoption of modern contraception and increased birth
spacing. However, these positive impacts are accompanied by an increase in intimate
partner violence against women. The increase in spousal abuse is particularly pro-
nounced among women whose husbands prefer to have additional sons, suggesting that
the wife’s greater contraceptive use triggers marital conflict.

Ill-Informed Beliefs: Misperceptions of the Costs of Unplanned Parental Absences

Prachi Jain
,
Loyola Marymount University
Erin Giffin
,
Colby College
Jessica Hoel
,
Colorado College

Abstract

While most couples say they want to divide childcare responsibilities evenly, couples tend to allocate childcare unevenly in practice. To explain this inconsistency, we focus on beliefs: workers anticipate (correctly or incorrectly) that employers penalize men and women differently for absences from work related to children. We conduct an online hiring experiment using framed ``childcare shocks" with workers and employers. We elicit workers' beliefs about employer penalties and examine whether these beliefs align with employers' wage offers. Workers expect employers to penalize workers more harshly than employers do. Workers expect penalties are worse for men than women, but employers penalize women more than men.

Discussant(s)
Prachi Jain
,
Loyola Marymount University
Rebeca Gomez Betancourt
,
University of Lyon
Olga Shurchkov
,
Wellesley College
JEL Classifications
  • D1 - Household Behavior and Family Economics
  • B5 - Current Heterodox Approaches