The study of gender inequality in the labour market

For only the third time in its 54-year history, the Nobel Prize in Economics has been awarded to a woman. The winner, Claudia Goldin, is a professor of economic history at Harvard University. 

Goldin's work focuses on the causes of gender inequality in the labour market. In a press conference at Harvard, she talked about the way women throughout history had done work which was "hidden from view and uncompensated" and that men were paid more for the same work. 

Goldin's award follows years of research and publication on gender inequality in the labour market with studies such as the impact of the contraceptive pill on women's work opportunities, women's surnames after marriage as a social indicator and the reasons why women are now the majority of undergraduates.

Although it is illegal in most countries for employers to discriminate against women in the workplace, women still face significant wage inequality compared to men. In the US women earn 18 percent less than men and in Europe it is 13 percent. 

Goldin's research showed that while progress has been made in reducing the pay gap between men and women there is no evidence that the gap is being fully closed.

Goldin's reasons for unequal pay come down to straightforward workplace discrimination against women and also to a phenomenon called 'greedy work'. This is where employers pay a higher hourly rate to people willing to work longer and be more flexible in their hours. Because women are often more committed to family responsibilities than men their hours and seniority are more constrained at work.

Other women who have won the Nobel Prize for economics are Elinor Ostrom (2009) for her analysis of economic governance and Esther Duflo (2019) for her work on alleviating global poverty.

That is three women out of 93 Economics Nobel winners. 

Possible questions for class discussion

1. Research the work of Claudia Goldin.

2. Discuss the possible reasons for gender inequality in the workplace.

3. Research the work of Elinor Ostrom and Esther Duflo.

4. Why have so few women won the Nobel Prize in Economics?