Understanding the Gender Gap: An Economic History of American Women

Claudia Goldin's book, Understanding the Gender Gap: An Economic History of American Women, challenges the assumption that economic growth automatically increases women's workforce participation. Her research reveals a U-shaped trend: women's employment declined with industrialization in the late 18th century due to the separation of work from home, and only began to rise again in the early 20th century with the growth of the service sector and increased educational opportunities.1

The book also explores the persistent wage gap between men and women. Goldin found that discrimination, societal expectations around caregiving, and the undervaluing of "women's work" contribute to this disparity. Even with similar jobs, women's wages often lag behind men's, particularly after childbirth.12