Culture, Capitalism, and Gender Equality

A virtual event with Dr. Claudia Williamson (University of Tennessee - Chattanooga)
March 18, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. (CDT)
Co-sponsored by MTSU's National Women's History Month Committee
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About the Event: How do institutions affect gender equality across countries? In this talk, Dr. Williamson presents evidence showing that capitalistic values are associated with less support for patriarchy, and more favorable outcomes for key social indicators for women, including educational attainment, fertility and labor force participation. In addition, Williamson explores how country-level institutions, such as democracy and economic freedom, affect cross-country measures of gender equality. Collectively, the results suggest that capitalism and its associated values are not bad for women but support gender equality across multiple dimensions.

About the Speaker: Claudia R. Williamson is the Probasco Distinguished Chair of Free Enterprise and Professor of Economics at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. She is also the Director of the Center for Economic Education. Her main research interests lie at the intersection of applied economic development and political economy. A common thread of her work is the combination of incentive and knowledge arguments revealing interesting, and at times, unconventional results. She currently serves as an editor for the Journal of Institutional Economics.

This webinar was presented in partnership with the Center for Public Choice & Market Process during Adam Smith Week at the College of Charleston.