Feminist Economic theory

1. Gender Economics: An Overview
Week 5
Ann Marie Cote
A. Robyn Zilber

2. “The Study of Women and Gender in
Economics: An Overview”
Lourdes Beneria
● Economics as a field was male-dominated
● Second wave of feminism (1960s to 1990s)
– Filtering economics through feminist ideas
● Macro vs Micro Policies

3. Mincer and “Human Capital”
New Household Economics

4. Betty Friedan

5. Feminine Mystique, Betty Friedan

6. Questions?
“A woman has got to be able to say, and
not feel guilty, 'Who am I, and what do I
want out of life?' She mustn't feel selfish
and neurotic if she wants goals of her
own, outside of husband and children.” -
Betty Friedan
“Each suburban wife struggles with it
alone. As she made the beds, shopped
for groceries, matched slipcover
material, ate peanut butter sandwiches
with her children, chauffeured Cub
Scouts and Brownies, lay beside her
husband at night- she was afraid to ask
even of herself the silent question – 'Is
this all?'” - Betty Friedan

7. Questions?
“The problem that has no name (which is
simply the fact that American women are
kept from growing to their full human
capacities) is taking a far greater toll on the
physical and mental health of our country
than any known disease.” - Betty Friedan
“Over and over again, stories in
women's magazines insist that women
can know fulfilment only at the moment
of giving birth to a child. They deny the
years when she can no longer look
forward to giving birth, even if she
repeats the act over and over again. In
the feminine mystique, there is no other
way for a woman to dream of creation
or of the future. There is no other way
she can even dream about herself,
except as her children's mother, her
husband's wife.” - Betty Friedan

8. Feminism and Marxism

9. Macro vs. Micro

10. “Emancipation and its Failures”
Viviene Taylor
● Poverty prevents empowerment
● Women need to mobilize to enact change

11. “It's all about Privilege”
Slutwalk

12. Are Women Empowered?

13. Reflections

14. References
Books
Beneriam L. (2003). The study of women and gender in economics: An overview. In Gender,
development, and globalization: Economics as if all people mattered (pp. 31-62). New York:
Routledge.
Friedan, B. (1966). The feminine mystique. New York: Norton.
Mincer, J. (1981). Human Capital and Economic Growth. Cambridge, Mass.: National Bureau of
Economic Research.
Nicholson, L. (1997). The Unhappy Marriage of Marxism and Feminism. In The second wave: A
reader in feminist theory (pp. 97-122). New York: Routledge.
Articles
Taylor, V. (2010). Questioning empowerment. Development, 53(2), pages 164-168.
Pollak, R. (2003). Gary Becker's contributions to family and household economics. Review of
Economics of the Household, Springer, 1(1), pages 111-141.
Films
Video The Feminine Mystique Watch Makers Women Who Make America Online PBS Video.
(n.d.). Retrieved February 3, 2015, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_p6q578Bw94/

15. References
Images
A question. (2007, March 20). Retrieved February 3, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fredarmitage/428990598/
Beautiful Hearts! (2012, July 29). Retrieved February 3, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vinothchandar/5464582772/
Beautiful Autumn Carpet. (2014, October 6). Retrieved January 27, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stanzim/15271378508/
Books. (2011, December 1). Retrieved January 27, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/aigle_dore/6365101775/
Class in economy. Teacher. Retrieved January 23, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/boston_public_library/8384584766/
Marcha de las putas. Buenos Aires 2014 / Slut walk. (2014, November 25). Retrieved January 31,
2015, from https://www.flickr.com/photos/santiagosuburbano/15249937683/
Marxist feminist dialectic. (2011, August 27). Retrieved January 29, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/ruminatrix/6086057524/
Midiendo fuerzas... (2008, December 6). Retrieved February 3, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/marinacast/2255974192/
My book. (2010, March 8). Retrieved January 29, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/cinziarizzo/3772599521/
Reflections I. (2014, July 22). Retrieved January 30, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/104815519@N08/14716279972/
Studying at Woman's College Library, 1950s. (n.d.). Retrieved January 27, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dukeyearlook/2109132618/
The power of transformation. (2009, July 15). Retrieved January 28, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/spiritual_marketplace/3721741328/
Transformation. (2009, December 12). Retrieved January 27, 2015, from
https://www.flickr.com/photos/alicepopkorn/4180311522/