On the origins of gender roles: women and the plough

Alberto Alesina, Paola Giuliano, Nathan Nunn, Mon, 06/06/2011

Why do levels of female participation in the labour force vary so extremely around the world? The authors of CEPR DP8418 test the hypothesis that cultural notions of 'a woman's place' originated with agricultural practices. They find evidence that the division of labour associated with plough agriculture contributed to development of norms that confined women to the home. These norms appear to persist through generations.

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URL:  www.cepr.org/DP8418

Topics:  Development Frontiers of economic research Labour markets

Tags:  gender inequality, values, Culture

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