Gender Dynamics in Labour Economics: From Experiments to Historical Data (Italy, 1951-1991)

This thesis explores the multifaceted role of gender differences across various economic and social contexts. Each chapter investigates different aspects of how context shapes gender dynamics that affect female labour participation. In the first project, we conduct a series of experiments to understand if there are gender differences in collaborative networks. Participants can form links with others and then engage in a joint project with their network neighbours. Our setting exploits a unique experimental design to study the number of links, the strength of ties, and the productivity of each link. In the second chapter, I investigate differences within collaborative settings, using a dataset from the chats of a lab experiment under time constraints, therefore, in high-pressure conditions. The research examines whether there are significant gender differences in communication styles by conducting a systematic content analysis of chat data. I analyze the frequency and nature of specific language features, such as profanity, expressions related to loyalty, compliments, collaboration, competition, apologies, gratitude, and hedges. The study also explores the role of contextual factors, such as certainty versus uncertainty, and whether participants’ gender is disclosed or blind in influencing communication styles. The third chapter presents a new dataset containing provincial and yearly data on the female and male workforce divided by sector, migration, and population by class of age for the forty-one years between 1951 and 1991. The dataset combines data from multiple sources and uses interpolation techniques to ensure the most consistent series possible. Finally, we estimate the yearly provincial value-added at constant prices (2005 euros). The last paper analyzes the impact of nursery schools on female labour participation in the Italian Second Postwar period (1952-1991). To achieve this, we provide the first historical dataset on early childcare for the provinces of Italy. The findings underscore the importance of context in shaping gender disparities. Future studies could benefit from examining these contextual dynamics across a broader range of settings to deepen our understanding of the complex interactions between gender, economy, and social policy.