CHE Seminar Series: Masculinity around the world
This paper explores the socioeconomic roles of masculinity norms. We collect the first crosscultural evidence on men’s adherence to dominance masculinity norms from nationally representative, face-to-face surveys across 43 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Our analysis unveils substantial variation in adherence to these norms, both across and within countries, and identifies three domains where they exert significant influence. In the economic domain, adherence to dominance masculinity correlates positively with behaviors supporting economic growth, such as labor supply at the intensive margin, but also generates frictions by constraining occupational choice to traditionally masculine sectors. In the health domain, adherence to dominance masculinity is linked to more risk-taking, higher rates of depression, and shorter lifespans among men. In politics, it predicts both individual demand for strongman populism and its political supply at the country level. Across all domains, dominance masculinity norms play a role distinct from, and sometimes opposite to, social norms about women and gender roles.
Speaker profile
Victoria Baranov is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne. Her research explores how health, psychological factors, and norms interact with poverty and economic development. Her interdisciplinary research combines large-scale field experiments, lab-in-the-field experiments, and the latest econometric techniques with innovative research design and measurement to explore (1) the economic consequences of mental illness, (2) the direct and indirect effects of the expansion of AIDS treatment in sub-Saharan Africa, and (3) gender norms, particularly masculinity norms, and their socioeconomic consequences. Her research has been published in the American Economic Review, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, the Journal of Health Economics, the Lancet Psychiatry and other peer-reviewed journals across multiple disciplines. It has also been featured in the Economist and the Guardian. Victoria received her PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago 2013. She is a deputy director of the Centre for Market Design, a research affiliate at J-PAL, CEPR and CAGE, and a research fellow at the Life Course Centre and IZA. She also leads the FBE Gender Lab at the University of Melbourne.
Weekly seminar series
As part of our Centre's vibrant research culture, we host a weekly seminar series. Visiting and invited researchers present current research relating to the economics of health and wellbeing, and the healthcare sector. Visitors are welcome to join these sessions where discussion and debate is encouraged.
For further information on our seminar series, please contact Trong-Anh.Trinh@monash.edu.
Event Details
- Date:
- 9 October 2024 at 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
- Venue:
- Caulfield campus, Building H, Level 8, Room H801
- Categories:
- CHE Seminar; General
Description
This paper explores the socioeconomic roles of masculinity norms. We collect the first crosscultural evidence on men’s adherence to dominance masculinity norms from nationally representative, face-to-face surveys across 43 countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. Our analysis unveils substantial variation in adherence to these norms, both across and within countries, and identifies three domains where they exert significant influence. In the economic domain, adherence to dominance masculinity correlates positively with behaviors supporting economic growth, such as labor supply at the intensive margin, but also generates frictions by constraining occupational choice to traditionally masculine sectors. In the health domain, adherence to dominance masculinity is linked to more risk-taking, higher rates of depression, and shorter lifespans among men. In politics, it predicts both individual demand for strongman populism and its political supply at the country level. Across all domains, dominance masculinity norms play a role distinct from, and sometimes opposite to, social norms about women and gender roles.
Speaker profile
Victoria Baranov is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Melbourne. Her research explores how health, psychological factors, and norms interact with poverty and economic development. Her interdisciplinary research combines large-scale field experiments, lab-in-the-field experiments, and the latest econometric techniques with innovative research design and measurement to explore (1) the economic consequences of mental illness, (2) the direct and indirect effects of the expansion of AIDS treatment in sub-Saharan Africa, and (3) gender norms, particularly masculinity norms, and their socioeconomic consequences. Her research has been published in the American Economic Review, American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, the Journal of Health Economics, the Lancet Psychiatry and other peer-reviewed journals across multiple disciplines. It has also been featured in the Economist and the Guardian. Victoria received her PhD in Economics from the University of Chicago 2013. She is a deputy director of the Centre for Market Design, a research affiliate at J-PAL, CEPR and CAGE, and a research fellow at the Life Course Centre and IZA. She also leads the FBE Gender Lab at the University of Melbourne.
Weekly seminar series
As part of our Centre's vibrant research culture, we host a weekly seminar series. Visiting and invited researchers present current research relating to the economics of health and wellbeing, and the healthcare sector. Visitors are welcome to join these sessions where discussion and debate is encouraged.
For further information on our seminar series, please contact Trong-Anh.Trinh@monash.edu.