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Women’s empowerment and economic development: a feminist critique of story telling practices in ‘Randomista' economics

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  • Kabeer, Naila

Abstract

The 2019 Nobel Prize in economics was awarded to three scholars on the grounds that their pioneering use of randomized control trials (RCTs) was innovative methodologically and contributed to development policy and the emergence of a new development economics. Using a critical feminist lens, this article challenges that conclusion by interrogating the storytelling practices deployed by “randomista” economists through a critical reading of a widely cited essay by Esther Duflo, one of the 2019 Nobel recipients, on the relationship between women’s empowerment and economic development. The paper argues that the limitations of randomista economics have given rise to a particular way of thinking characterized by piecemeal analysis, ad hoc resort to theory, indifference to history and context, and methodological fundamentalism. It concludes that the randomista argument that broad-based economic development alone – without focused attention to women’s rights – will lead to gender equality has not been borne out by recent data.

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  • Kabeer, Naila, 2020. "Women’s empowerment and economic development: a feminist critique of story telling practices in ‘Randomista' economics," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103880, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:103880
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    File URL: http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/103880/
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Nchofoung, Tii & Asongu, Simplice & Tchamyou, Vanessa & Edoh, Ofeh, 2021. "Political inclusion and democracy in Africa: some empirical evidence," MPRA Paper 111838, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Karimli, Leyla & Lecoutere, Els & Wells, Christine R. & Ismayilova, Leyla, 2021. "More assets, more decision-making power? Mediation model in a cluster-randomized controlled trial evaluating the effect of the graduation program on women's empowerment in Burkina Faso," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    empowerment; economic development; development; T&F deal;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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