Wind of Change? Cultural Determinants of Maternal Labor Supply

Barbara Boelmann, Anna Raute and Uta Schönberg

American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2025, vol. 17, issue 2, 41-74

Abstract: We investigate the role of cultural norms in shaping women's labor supply decisions after childbirth. Specifically, we are interested in the interplay between childhood socialization and adulthood environment. To that end, we leverage the setting of the German reunification when East Germany's gender-egalitarian culture induced by socialism and West Germany's more traditional culture were brought together. We find that East German gender norms are persistent, whereas West German ones are not. West German mothers adjust their behavior to that of their East German peers not only when immersed in East German environment but even after returning to the West.

JEL-codes: D91 J13 J16 J22 N34 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1257/app.20220567

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