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Women in economics: A UK Perspective

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  • Smith, Sarah
  • Sevilla, Almudena

Abstract

The status of women in economics in the US has come increasingly under the spotlight. We exploit high quality administrative data to paint the first comprehensive picture of the status of women in UK academic economics departments in research-intensive universities. Our evidence indicates that, as in the US, women in economics are under-represented and are paid less than men. The issues facing women in economics in the UK are similar to other disciplines particularly STEM but have received less national policy attention to date. We conclude with a discussion of interventions that might improve the status of women in academia and we present new evidence that a UK academic diversity programme (Athena Swan) has narrowed the gender pay gap at a senior level.

Suggested Citation

  • Smith, Sarah & Sevilla, Almudena, 2020. "Women in economics: A UK Perspective," CEPR Discussion Papers 15034, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:15034
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    Cited by:

    1. Gamage, Danula K. & Kavetsos, Georgios & Mallick, Sushanta & Sevilla, Almudena, 2020. "Pay Transparency Initiative and Gender Pay Gap: Evidence from Research-Intensive Universities in the UK," IZA Discussion Papers 13635, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Rebecca Cassells & Leonora Risse & Danielle Wood & Duygu Yengin, 2023. "Lifting Diversity and Inclusion in Economics: How the Australian Women in Economics Network Put the Evidence into Action," Economic Papers, The Economic Society of Australia, vol. 42(1), pages 1-29, March.
    3. Bateman, Victoria & Hengel, Erin, 2023. "The gender gap in UK academic economics 1996-2018: progress, stagnation and retreat," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 118205, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Harris, Richard & Maté-Sánchez-Val, Mariluz, 2022. "Gender pay and productivity in UK universities: Evidence from research-intensive Business Schools," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Academia; Women in economics; Gender wage gap;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A14 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Sociology of Economics

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