Working Papers
"Reallocating the Clock : how public services are shaping women's time allocation in Europe" with A. Simon
This paper explores the role of public services—specifically childcare, primary schools, hospitals, and long-term care services— in shaping women’s housework and promoting their participation in the labour market across Europe. We examine how these services can serve as direct sources of employment, particularly through schools and hospitals, and how they may reduce the burden of unpaid labour via their 'defamilialisation' function. Using a novel database covering public service provision in 450 European regions, combined with data from the 2012 and 2016 European Quality of Life Surveys (EQLS), we provide a first assessment of the potential relationships between the availability of these services, and women’s time allocation. Employing a multilevel model analysis, we show that the availability of childcare and long-term care services is associated to a decrease in unpaid work hours, while the presence of schools and hospitals emerges as a source of employment for women. However, these services also appear to be associated with an increase in unpaid work, indicating that public services may not fundamentally change the gendered division of labour but instead reallocate women’s time.
"Defamilialisaing how women's economic independence is measured"
This paper proposes a new definition of women's economic independence, based on the concept of defamilialization as defined by Lister. The women's economic independence index (WEII) is based on a methodology that looks beyond the household to study women's economic position. Firstly, women's economic independence is measured in terms of the poverty line (60\% of median income), in order to determine their ability to meet their primary needs through labour income and social benefits. Secondly, the indicator is based on a method of approximating individual incomes that differs from the method of individualising incomes found in the literature, as it does not retain the assumption of equal distribution of certain household level social benefits. This indicator shows that married or partnered women are the least economically independent, which confirms the importance of going beyond the household to also account for the economic situation of women.
"Gender Inequalities: Progress and Challenges" with M. Jaoul-Grammare and F. Perrin in Inequality: Economic and Social Issues, 33-55.
Gender equality and women's empowerment are universally recognized as essential for sustainable and prosperous development. This chapter offers a comprehensive overview of gender inequalities prevalent in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, delving into the historical context of such disparities with a particular focus on education. The chapter highlights the strides made through the implementation of legal frameworks and policies. However, despite significant progress, gender inequalities persist, leaving women susceptible to adverse consequences in their daily lives and rendering them more vulnerable to economic shocks. By gaining a comprehensive understanding of gender inequalities and taking active measures to address them, societies could strive towards a more inclusive and egalitarian society and foster sustainable and prosperous developments for all.
"Public support, private power ? : Public services and women’s economic independence within and beyond the household"
"Serving Unequally : Gender segregation and wage gap in French female-dominated public services" with M. Jaoul-Grammare and F. Perrin - funded by GIS-Institut du Genre