comparative methods in research on gender
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Comparative Methods in Research on Gender. Wendy Sigle-Rushton ESRC Methods Festival 2 July 2008 St. Catherine’s College, Oxford. Comparative Methods . Why compare What to compare How to compare Benefits of comparison Caveats. Why compare. Pragmatic concerns International agendas - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Comparative Methods in Research on Gender
Wendy Sigle-Rushton
ESRC Methods Festival2 July 2008
St. Catherine’s College, Oxford
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Comparative Methods
Why compare What to compare How to compare Benefits of comparison Caveats
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Why compare
Pragmatic concerns International agendas Broaden perspective Quasi-natural experiment Allows for theory building/testing
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What to compare Comparisons across
Countries
Regions within countries (e.g. US States)
Time
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What to compare
Variables to compare Inputs and Institutions
Expenditure and welfare effort Aims and ideologies Politics Financing and delivery of policies Welfare mix
Example: Jane Lewis – gender roles
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What to compare Variables to compare
Outcomes, for example Income distribution/poverty alleviation Social exclusion/inclusion Gender equality Decommodification
Studies of outcomes Maitre et al – income packaging Rake – elderly, gender equality Christopher – (lone) mothers Sainsbury – gender equality Sigle-Rushton and Waldfogel – earnings, household
income Hobcraft and Sigle-Rushton – social exclusion
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How to compare
Identify broad similarities and differences
Exploit variation across space
Simulations
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Benefits of comparison
Common and dissimilar problems/patterns
Quasi-natural experiment
Inspire best practice
Inspire and inform good measurement
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Caveats Reliance on similar, available measures
Harmonisation Proxy variables Validity
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Caveats Reliance on similar, available measures
Harmonisation Proxy variables Validity
Tensions: Difference and sameness Static measures Geographical variations often ignored
Explanans et explanandum Requires a lot of detail
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Data: Luxembourg Income Study Strengths: Harmonised data, large number of countries Relatively recent data available for many countries
Countries Anglo-Saxon: Canada, United Kingdom (UK), United
States Continental Europe: Germany, the Netherlands Nordic: Norway, Sweden, Finland
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings Using the regressions:
Estimated wages for each age assuming different fertility histories
Estimate motherhood gaps Estimate gender gaps by fertility history
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Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings Using the regressions:
What the regressions show Average gross earnings
What they don’t show The reasons for the differences Economic well-being
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Overall patterns Large earnings penalties for each child, little catch-up
Germany, Netherlands, UK (esp. first) Moderate earnings penalties for first child, differences
persist Canada
Small earnings penalty for each child, some catch-up US, Norway
Moderate penalties for the first child, rapid catch-up Sweden, Finland
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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Overall patterns Large earnings penalties for each child, little catch-up
Germany, Netherlands, UK (esp. first) Moderate earnings penalties for first child, differences
persist Canada
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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Overall patterns Large earnings penalties for each child, little catch-up
Germany, Netherlands, UK (esp. first) Moderate earnings penalties for first child, some catch-
up Canada
Small earnings penalty for each child, some catch-up US, Norway
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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Overall patterns Large earnings penalties for each child, little catch-up
Germany, Netherlands, UK (esp. first) Moderate earnings penalties for first child, some catch-
up Canada
Small earnings penalty for each child, some catch-up US, Norway
Moderate penalties for the first child, rapid catch-up Sweden, Finland
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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Cumulative earnings of mothers aged 18-45 with medium education relative to non-mothers One child,
age 27Two children, ages 25,
27
Germany 0.63 0.42
Netherlands 0.63 0.46
UK 0.67 0.58
Canada 0.79 0.76
United States 0.89 0.81
Norway 0.87 0.80
Sweden 0.86 0.89
Finland 0.91 0.88
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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No Children One child, age 27
Two children, ages 25, 27
Germany 0.94 0.60 0.40
Netherlands 0.84 0.53 0.39
UK 0.72 0.48 0.41
Canada 0.69 0.54 0.52
United States 0.64 0.57 0.52
Norway 0.70 0.61 0.56
Sweden 0.70 0.61 0.62
Finland 0.75 0.68 0.66
Cumulative earnings of mothers aged 18-45 with medium education relative to men
Example from my research on motherhood gaps in earnings
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Summary Comparative studies can
Highlight similarities and differences Inspire best practice
But Direct of causation is rarely clear
Explanatory processes are rarely clear Important measures may be omitted Individuals vary as well as policies
Important to keep in mind when looking at “simulations”
Predictive power is tentative
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References Christopher, K. (2002) “Helping mothers escape poverty.” LIS working paper No.
298. Figari, F., Immervoll, H., Levy, H. and Sutherland, H. (2007) "Inequalities within
Couples: Market Incomes and the Role of Taxes and Benefits in Europe". IZA Discussion Paper No. 3201
Lewis, J. (1992) ‘Gender and the Development of Welfare Regimes’, Journal of European Social Policy 2(3):159-173.
Maitre, B., Nolan, B. and Whelan, C.T. (2005) “Welfare regimes and household income packaging in the European Union.” Journal of European Social Policy 15(2): 157.171.
Rake, K. (1999) Accumulated disadvantage? Welfare state provision and the incomes of older women and men in Britain, France and Germany. In J. Clasen (ed.) Comparative Social Policy: Concepts, Theories and Methods Oxford, Blackwell.
Sigle-Rushton, W. and Waldfogel, J. (2007) “Motherhood and women’s earnings in Anglo-American, Continental European, and Nordic countries.” Feminist Economics 13(2): 55-92.