Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP10091
Authors: Graziella Bertocchi; Monica Bozzano
Abstract: We investigate the determinants of the education gender gap in Italy in historical perspective with a focus on the influence of family structure. We capture the latter with two indicators: residential habits (nuclear vs. complex families) and inheritance rules (partition vs. primogeniture). After controlling for economic, institutional, religious, and cultural factors, we find that over the 1861-1901 period family structure is a driver of the education gender gap, with a higher female to male enrollment rate ratio in upper primary schools being associated with nuclear residential habits and equal partition of inheritance. We also find that only the effect of inheritance rules persists over the 1971-2001 period.
Keywords: convergence; education; gender gap; family types; inheritance; institutions; Italian unification; religion
JEL Codes: E02; H75; I25; J16; N33; O15
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Family structure (J12) | Education gender gap (I24) |
| Nuclear residential habits (L94) | Female-to-male enrollment ratio (I24) |
| Equal partition of inheritance (D30) | Female-to-male enrollment ratio (I24) |
| Family structure (J12) | Higher female-to-male enrollment ratio (J16) |
| Family structure (inheritance rules) (J12) | Education gender gap (1971-2001) (I24) |