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The Evolution of Female Labour Force Participation in Jordan

Author

Listed:
  • Alma Boustati

    (Department of Economics, SOAS University of London)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyse the evolution of female labour force participation in Jordan vis-à -vis institutional and economic development. When it comes to institutions, the primary focus willbe on family law and labour law. Within the economic developmentframework, the focus will be on how the social contract motivated the structuring of the economy, labour market, and approach to welfare during three stages of Jordan’s economic development, namely the industrialisation period (1967-1982), the economic bust period (1983-1992), and the economic adjustment period (post-1993). Within each period, the implications of these factors on the composition and size of the female labour force participation is discussed.The findings indicate that a patriarchal approach to welfare, and consequently the low female labour force participation,was sustainable through economic policy which relied on high male wages and high non-wage income achieved through a combination of aid, remittances, and cheap foreign labour.

Suggested Citation

  • Alma Boustati, 2020. "The Evolution of Female Labour Force Participation in Jordan," Working Papers 236, Department of Economics, SOAS University of London, UK.
    • Handle: RePEc:soa:wpaper:236
    as

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    File URL: https://www.soas.ac.uk/sites/default/files/2022-10/economics-wp236.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Scott Prettitore, 2015. "Family Law Reform, Gender Equality, and Underage Marriage: A view from Morocco and Jordan," The Review of Faith & International Affairs, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 13(3), pages 32-40, September.
    2. Standing, Guy, 1999. "Global Feminization Through Flexible Labor: A Theme Revisited," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(3), pages 583-602, March.
    3. World Bank, 2013. "Jordan Country Gender Assessment : Economic Participation, Agency and Access to Justice in Jordan," World Bank Publications - Reports 16706, The World Bank Group.
    4. Becker, Gary S, 1981. "Altruism in the Family and Selfishness in the Market Place," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 48(189), pages 1-15, February.
    5. Geraldine Chatelard, 2010. "Jordan: A Refugee Haven," Working Papers halshs-00514403, HAL.
    6. Claudia Goldin, 1994. "The U-Shaped Female Labor Force Function in Economic Development and Economic History," NBER Working Papers 4707, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    7. Ray Langsten & Rania Salen, 2008. "Two Approaches to Measuring Women's Work in Developing Countries: A Comparison of Survey Data from Egypt," Population and Development Review, The Population Council, Inc., vol. 34(2), pages 283-305, June.
    8. Geraldine Chatelard, 2010. "Jordan: A Refugee Haven," Post-Print halshs-00514403, HAL.
    9. Jane Harrigan & Hamed El-Said & Chengang Wang, 2006. "The IMF and the World Bank in Jordan: A case of over optimism and elusive growth," The Review of International Organizations, Springer, vol. 1(3), pages 263-292, September.
    10. Ross, Michael L., 2008. "Oil, Islam, and Women," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 102(1), pages 107-123, February.
    11. Dahhan O., 1980. "Examination of the literature on jordanian women," ILO Working Papers 992082303402676, International Labour Organization.
    12. Assaad, Ragui (ed.), 2014. "The Jordanian Labor Market in the New Millennium," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198702054, Decembrie.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    Cited by:

    1. J. Ignacio Conde-Ruiz & Eduardo L. Giménez, 2022. "The Changing Roles of Young Single Women in Jordan Before the Great Recession: An Explanation Using Economic Theory," Notas Económicas, Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, issue 55, pages 9-47, December.
    2. José Ignacio Conde-Ruiz & Jesús Lahera Forteza & Diego Puga, 2022. "Propuesta de mejora del Nuevo Contrato Indefinido de Actividades Científico-Técnicas," Fedea Economy Notes 2022-08, FEDEA.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labour; Women; Jordan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • N35 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Asia including Middle East

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