Gender and the Dismal Science: Women in the Early Years of the Economics Profession

The economics profession is facing gender inequality, with women underrepresented and facing biases and barriers that hinder their full and equal participation. Gender and the Dismal Science by Ann Mari May examines the role of women in American economics from the late nineteenth century to the postwar period, highlighting the structural and institutional factors that excluded them. It reveals the historical roots of the homogeneity of economics and why biases against women persist today.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 05 July 2022
Publisher: Columbia University Press

The economics profession has been grappling with a longstanding issue of gender inequality, with women consistently underrepresented throughout the field. Those who choose to pursue careers in economics face numerous challenges that undermine their progress and opportunities. Women in economics report pervasive biases and barriers that hinder their full and equal participation, and these obstacles are particularly detrimental to women of color.

How did economics become such a boys' club? What lessons can we draw from this history in our efforts to achieve greater equality?

Gender and the Dismal Science provides a comprehensive exploration of the role of women in the early development of American economics, spanning from the late nineteenth century to the postwar period. Author Ann Mari May delves into the structural and institutional factors that excluded women from participating in the field, including graduate education, academic publishing, and university hiring practices.

Through a combination of rich historical detail and extensive empirical data, May sheds light on the experiences of women in economics, highlighting their achievements in writing monographs and publishing journal articles, as well as the limitations they faced in obtaining academic positions and professional recognition. She also documents the marginalization of women in professional associations and other hurdles that the professionalization of economics imposed on them.

May emphasizes the formation of a hierarchical culture of status seeking within the field, which hindered women's participation and shaped the definition of knowledge to favor men. This book serves as a powerful tool for understanding the historical roots of the homogeneity of economics and sheds new light on why biases against women persist today.

In conclusion, Gender and the Dismal Science is a groundbreaking work that sheds essential light on the historical exclusion of women from economics. By examining the structural and institutional factors that perpetuated gender inequality, May provides valuable insights into the ongoing challenges faced by women in the field. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in promoting greater equality and diversity in economics.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780231192903