American Economic Review
ISSN 0002-8282 (Print) | ISSN 1944-7981 (Online)
What is Discrimination? Gender in the American Economic Association, 1935-2004
American Economic Review
vol. 96,
no. 4, September 2006
(pp. 1283–1292)
Abstract
We illustrate problems of measuring discrimination using elections to AEA offices. With a new econometric technique, we find female candidates have a much better than random chance of victory. This advantage is either reverse discrimination or reflects beliefs that women are more productive. The former interpretation could be explained by an unchanging median voter whose preferences were not satisfied by suppliers of candidates; but there was a structural change in voting behavior in the mid-1970s. The results suggest it is generally impossible to claim differences in rewards, for different groups measure the extent of discrimination or even its direction. (JEL A11, D72, J16)Citation
Donald, Stephen, G., and Daniel S. Hamermesh. 2006. "What is Discrimination? Gender in the American Economic Association, 1935-2004." American Economic Review, 96 (4): 1283–1292. DOI: 10.1257/aer.96.4.1283Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- A11 Role of Economics; Role of Economists
- J16 Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
- N32 Economic History: Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy: U.S.; Canada: 1913-