Victor Hiller

Gender Inequality, Endogenous Cultural Norms, and Economic Development

This research focuses on the role played by cultural norms in the long run persistence of gender inequalities. Cultural norms about gender roles are considered to be endogenous and can generate gender inequality and low development traps. Indeed, when the gender gap is internalized, it leads to inegalitarian views about gender roles. Due to these inegalitarian beliefs, boys receive more education and the initial gender gap is reinforced. The existence of gender inequality traps is pointed out by the World Bank as a major obstacle for economic development (WDR 2006). The present article allows for a better understanding of the persistence of such traps and the means to escape.

Cultural transmission and the evolution of gender roles

Investigating how gender roles evolve over time is crucial to understand gender inequalities and their dynamics. We propose a cultural transmission model in which parents may socialize their sons and daughters differently and we derive gender specific cultural dynamics. We show how interactions between socialization behaviors and household’s economic decisions shape these dynamics and the long-run definition of gender roles. We apply our theory to cultural traits related to the prescribed role of men and women within the society. Multiple equilibria may arise and an economy may be trapped in a situation in which males and females share inegalitarian views about gender roles. Institutional changes as a greater availability of child care facilities may help to reach another equilibrium in which a large proportion of individuals hold more egalitarian views about these roles.