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The gender gap in academic productivity during the pandemic: Is childcare responsible?

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  • Chinetti Simone

    (University of Naples Federico II, Department of Economics and Statistics, Via Cinthia 21, Complesso Universitario di Monte Sant’Angelo – 80126 Naples (NA) – Italy.)

Abstract

I investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent surge in childcare demand on the research productivity of female economics. Using data from SSRN and a Difference-in-Differences approach, I show that around the timing of confinements, the gender production gap widens by around 20 percentage points, an adverse effect persisting up to 4 months later the beginning of social restriction measures. Declines in production, however, vanish during the school re-opening period suggesting a prominent role in childcare demand.

Suggested Citation

  • Chinetti Simone, 2023. "The gender gap in academic productivity during the pandemic: Is childcare responsible?," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-35, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:vrs:izajle:v:12:y:2023:i:1:p:35:n:4
    DOI: 10.2478/izajole-2023-0007
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    academic productivity; female economist; childcare; COVID-19;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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