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Male-biased demand shocks and women's labour force participation: evidence from large oil field discoveries

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  • Maurer, Stephan
  • Potlogea, Andrei V.

Abstract

Do male-biased labour demand shocks affect women's labour market outcomes? To study this question, we examine large oil field discoveries in the southern USA from 1900 to 1940. We find that oil wealth has an overall positive effect on female labour force participation that is driven by single women. While oil discoveries increase demand for male labour and raise male wages, they do not drive women out of the tradable goods sector or the labour force. Our findings suggest that the absence of any crowding out effects of oil wealth can be explained by compensating forces such as demand effects within the tradable sector, or by income effects that lead to growth in the non-tradable sector.

Suggested Citation

  • Maurer, Stephan & Potlogea, Andrei V., 2021. "Male-biased demand shocks and women's labour force participation: evidence from large oil field discoveries," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103761, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
  • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:103761
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    5. Aguilar-Gomez, Sandra & Benshaul-Tolonen, Anja, 2023. "The evolution and persistence of women's roles: Evidence from the Gold Rush," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 364-381.
    6. Maurer, Stephan E., 2018. "Oil discoveries and education spending in the postbellum south," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 88677, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
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    10. Jubril Animashaun & Ada Wossink, 2020. "Patriarchy, Pandemics and the Gendered Resource Curse Thesis: Evidence from Petroleum Geology," Economics Discussion Paper Series 2006, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    11. Nguyen, Minh-Hoang, 2021. "Resource curse - Wikipedia," OSF Preprints 36uyb, Center for Open Science.
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    14. Aragón, Fernando M. & Rud, Juan Pablo & Toews, Gerhard, 2018. "Resource shocks, employment, and gender: Evidence from the collapse of the UK coal industry," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 54-67.

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    Keywords

    PhD Studentship;

    JEL classification:

    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics

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