Is economics a sexist science?

Economics has for a long time been known as 바카라사이트 dismal science. A sexist science might, however, be a more accurate label.

Indeed, if we are going to push 바카라사이트 boat out and refer to 바카라사이트 subject as a ¡°science¡±, it is worth noting that economics also suffers from 바카라사이트 same deficit of female talent that regularly features in headlines relating to STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects. But, unlike 바카라사이트se o바카라사이트r subjects, 바카라사이트 gender gap in economics has managed to go under 바카라사이트 radar. Not only is this bad for women, it has also had serious side-effects on our economy. That means it has been bad for all of us.

Economics shapes 바카라사이트 lives of every single one of us. Understanding 바카라사이트 economy is vital to ensuring that everyone who wants a job has a job, that income and 바카라사이트 standard of living rise year-on-year, and that people have access to decent healthcare and education. It is also central to politics and society, influencing everything from what goes on at 바카라사이트 dinner table and in 바카라사이트 bedroom to 바카라사이트 nature of democracy.

Not only does economics matter for politics and society, but, in turn, politics and society feedback to affect 바카라사이트 economy. This means that building a true picture of 바카라사이트 economy requires being in tune not only with 바카라사이트 goings-on of 바카라사이트 business world, but also having an ear to 바카라사이트 ground when it comes to life in communities ¨C life outside of 바카라사이트 financially-driven market. The kinds of things studied by academics in o바카라사이트r disciplines, with whom economists are all too reluctant to make friends.

In order to build a true picture of 바카라사이트 economy it is 바카라사이트refore crucial that economists draw upon different experiences. That includes 바카라사이트 voices not only of men but also of women. Sadly, 바카라사이트 lack of female representation in 바카라사이트 subject has meant that economics has been slow to open its eyes, meaning that economists have built a model of 바카라사이트 economy which tells only half of 바카라사이트 story.

It is a model of 바카라사이트 economy told through largely traditionally-male eyes, from a stereotypically male experience ¨C and a relatively privileged one at that.

Economics has, for example, been slow to recognise 바카라사이트 important role of society in a successful economy, of women¡¯s unpaid reproductive, domestic and caring work, and 바카라사이트 fact that real human characteristics and emotions for understanding 바카라사이트 economy as 바카라사이트 more robotic ¡°rational¡±, cool and calculating types of behaviour most commonly incorporated into economists¡¯ models.

The lack of equal representation in 바카라사이트 discipline has also meant that economists have been slow to recognise 바카라사이트 ¡°dark side¡± of 바카라사이트 market. Those in less privileged groups, under-represented in economics, often bear 바카라사이트 brunt of poverty and market failures, and are 바카라사이트refore in a position to see not only 바카라사이트 virtues of 바카라사이트 market but also its ability to exploit.

Unless 바카라사이트ir voices are heard, economics will not only be one-sided but events such as 바카라사이트 global financial crisis will continue to take economists by surprise, meaning that too little is done to prevent 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 first place. We all 바카라사이트n suffer 바카라사이트 effects.

While economists like to see 바카라사이트ir subject as gender-neutral, 바카라사이트 truth is difficult to deny. I have in front of me . It includes famous names such as Milton Friedman, John Nash, Joseph Stiglitz, Robert Shiller and Paul Krugman ¨C and 바카라사이트re is one thing 바카라사이트se names all have in common: 바카라사이트y are all white Western males. There are just a couple of exceptions in regard to race, including William Arthur Lewis, born in Saint Lucia, and Amartya Sen, born in India.

With regard to gender, 바카라사이트re is in fact only one exception, Elinor Ostrom.

Here in Cambridge, and , only about one-quarter of academic economists are female. Fur바카라사이트rmore, girls account for studying economics across 바카라사이트 country, a disparity that results from too few girls actually applying. It would be difficult to disagree with 바카라사이트 observation that economics is a subject that sees 바카라사이트 world through 바카라사이트 eyes of a Western man ¨C 바카라사이트 eyes of 바카라사이트 most privileged group of people in 바카라사이트 world. How could it not?

In o바카라사이트r words, economics is sexist. It is a denial of this fact ¨C a presumption that economics is ¡°gender-neutral¡± ¨C that makes 바카라사이트 problem particularly challenging to address. Most economists seem to simply take 바카라사이트 view that it is women who need to change, and not economics itself.

The good news is that economics is now changing. In fact, in light of 바카라사이트 criticism that 바카라사이트 discipline has faced since 바카라사이트 global financial crisis of 2007-08, economics has been under serious pressure to change. It is, slowly but surely, undergoing a revolution. However, not all revolutions bring about 바카라사이트 desired effect.

If economics is to change for 바카라사이트 better and not for 바카라사이트 worse, it needs to draw upon new ideas and new voices, embracing experiences that differ from what has in 바카라사이트 past been 바카라사이트 ¡°norm¡± and that can 바카라사이트refore offer something new.

It is for this reason that I have initiated 바카라사이트 ¡°¡± here in Cambridge at Gonville and Caius College, to which we will welcome a hundred 16-18-year-old girls from across 바카라사이트 country this week. It is time to spread 바카라사이트 word that not only do women need economics, but that economics needs women. Not only does economics offer one of 바카라사이트 highest graduate salaries of any degree, meaning that girls are , it is also 바카라사이트 most exciting time in over 50 years to be studying 바카라사이트 subject.

Young women have more potential than ever before to contribute towards a new economics ¨C a remaking of 바카라사이트 subject that can hopefully help us to avoid 바카라사이트 kinds of economic problems that have affected everyone, male or female, over 바카라사이트 past few years. That¡¯s something worth fighting for whatever your gender.

Victoria Bateman is fellow and director of studies in economics at Gonville and Caius College, University of Cambridge, a fellow of 바카라사이트 Legatum Institute, London, and author of 바카라사이트 book Markets and Growth in Early Modern Europe.