NUNZIUM

The role and status of women, particularly in employment, have undergone significant changes over the last century. Despite a threefold increase in women's participation in paid work in many high-income countries, a substantial gender gap persists. Approximately half of women worldwide are engaged in paid work, compared to 80% of men.

Claudia Goldin, a trailblazing economic historian and Harvard University professor, has devoted her career to studying this issue. Born in 1946 in New York, Goldin made history in 1989 as the first woman to receive tenure in Harvard's economics department. Her work recently earned her this year's Nobel economics prize, making her the third woman and the first to win the award without male co-recipients.

Goldin's research offers valuable insights into the complex factors influencing female labor supply and demand, including work-family balance, education and child-rearing decisions, technological advancements, legislation, societal norms, and economic shifts. She discovered that women's employment rates were historically underreported, with their participation in the US labor force at the end of the 1890s being notably higher than official statistics indicated. Her analysis of over two centuries of US data revealed a U-shaped curve describing women's labor force participation, a pattern also observed in many other countries.

Goldin's research identified marriage as a significant factor affecting women's employment rates, with "marriage bars" legislation often restricting married women's employment. However, the introduction of the contraceptive pill in the late 1960s enabled women to delay marriage and childbirth, thus influencing their career and educational decisions.

Goldin also explored the enduring wage gap between men and women. Despite significant reductions since the 1970s, this gap persists. Her extensive research covering two centuries revealed that parenthood is a crucial factor in explaining income differences between genders in high-income countries.

Goldin's work suggests that societal norms, labor market trends, and education levels impact women's employment levels. The ability to plan and finance a return to work after having children, or to work more flexibly, may be key to reducing gender disparities in the labor market.

The importance of Goldin's research is immense. As Randi Hjalmarsson, a member of the Nobel prize committee, noted, Goldin's findings have far-reaching societal implications. With women earning less and less likely to climb the career ladder, her work provides essential insights into the factors influencing these disparities.

Goldin's Nobel Prize underscores the significance of her research in understanding women's historical and contemporary roles in the labor market. As efforts towards gender equality continue, her work will undoubtedly guide policies and initiatives aimed at reducing the gender gap in the labor market. Recognizing the past is a vital step towards creating a more equitable future.