LECTURE 1 : Module 1: Orthodox vs. Heterodox Flashcards
(16 cards)
Explain how Economics is socially constructed
Economics is a social science - doesn’t exist in a vacuum - not a neutral and objective science:
- developed by human actors
- dependent on the historical location
- shaped and shapes specific social, cultural, and political conditions
*the way we know and approach economics cannot be separated from who we are > our environment shapes us and the way we think/reason
Who are the 3 women that have won the Nobel memorial prize?
- Elinor Ostrom (2009)
- Esther Duflo (2019)
- Claudia Goldin (2023)
Who has mostly shaped the economics discipline? Explain the stats from ‘degrees awarded to women and underrepresented minorities’
- the discipline has mostly been shaped by men (white men) - it has been and still is a male discipline
- for percentage of doctorate degrees and bachelor’s degrees awarded to women and to minority students in the US, the field of economics is the lowest, even compared to business and STEM
What are some possible reasons for economics being a male dominated discipline?
- math aspect > stereotypically, women are less capable/interested in math which is foundational for economics and economics is often perceived as math intensive
- few female role models > particularly in leadership and senior academic positions
- biased classroom climate > lacking support from male faculty
- promotion in academic jobs is more difficult because of the gender biases in economics
When did economics begin to address gender issues? (Becker’s influence)
New Home Economics > Gary Becker
- applied neoclassical economic analysis (ex. rational choice theory, utility maximization) to households (outside the economic sphere)
- focused around comparative advantage > men should work in the labour market bc they earn more and women should do the unpaid domestic work since they earn less (seen as most rational + efficient system)
- reinforced traditional gender divisions without addressing/questioning the social structures and norms that constrain women
Define Sex
Define Gender
Sex = biological differences between males and females
Gender = a social construct/structure that ascribes different roles, responsibilities, and rights to women and men > creates a social status > constructs roles and expectations for men and women
- stratification system that ranks men above women > creates inequality
Sex: We are _____
Gender: We are ____
Different
Unequal
What are some ways that gender is constructed and reproduced?
- teaching and interactions > throughout each life stage
- inscription > in the way we dress, talk, walk, etc. > directly into our bodies
- spatial separation and emulation > how do men/women spend their time and who do they emulate
- enforcement > informal or formal sanctions of gender-inappropriate behaviour
- through “doing gender” > constant basis - may be subconscious or internalized gender roles
What are some consequences of gender?
Unequal Allocation
- allocate differential access to resources, rights, and power
- allocate responsibilities, to ensure that certain tasks are being taken care of
Establish hierarchy - roles for specific genders
What is the general idea of what the Economics of Gender looks at?
What are some examples of what it examines?
*** looks at how gender differences affect different economic outcomes
examines:
- gender differences in the labour market (+ why are women doing more unpaid work)
- how gender norms create unequal access to jobs, income, education, and ownership of resources
- economic policies that may unintentionally benefit one gender over the other
Why is studying gender in economics important?
Mainstream economics claims to be neutral but it has ignored women
- to understand wage gaps and their causes
- recognize women’s essential unpaid work that is not recognized in GDP
- to design better policies that support equity
- how economic choices are shaped differently for women and men
What are some examples of policies that can support gender equity?
- parental leave
- childcare support
- gender-responsive budgeting
List the core differences between the Economics of Gender and Feminist Economics (what are the goals of each)
Economics of Gender:
- based on traditional, neoclassical framework
- how gender differences leads to different economic outcomes
- positive economics (descriptive, facts)
- gender inequality as a market failure/inefficiency
- ignores/undervalues care work
- goal = close gender gaps in the existing system
Feminist Economics:
- rejects traditional framework, uses a pluralist approach
- analyzes gendered power relations and unpaid care work
- normative economics (value judgements)
- gender inequality as a structural, systemic injustice
- stresses the importance of unpaid care work
- goal = transform the economic system
How does feminist economics broaden the economy?
Broadens it to include all activities and processes involving both paid and unpaid labour in providing for human life
What mostly explains inequalities between women and men?
- barely explained by biological differences
- mostly explained by the social construction of gender appropriate behaviours which penalizes women
List the key features of feminist economics
- economics = study of social provisioning (how to sustain everyone and carry them along - make everyone better off)
- broadens the economy to include both paid and unpaid labour to provide for human life
- economic success more about well-being rather than income level (away from GDP)
- emphasizes the processes (not just outcomes) of reproducing people and society as a whole
- highlights the interdependence/cooperation of people in securing their livelihoods
- ethical goals and values within economic analysis > not just about efficiency but also what is fair and just for society
- pluralistic approach to methodologies
