Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP14493
Authors: Victoria Baranov; Ralph De Haas; Pauline Grosjean
Abstract: We document the historical roots and contemporary consequences of masculinity norms: beliefs about the proper conduct of men. We exploit a natural experiment in which convict transportation in the 18th and 19th centuries created a variegated spatial pattern of sex ratios across Australia. We show that in areas with heavily male-biased convict populations, relatively more men volunteered for World War I about a century later. Even at present these areas remain characterized by more violence, higher rates of male suicide and other forms of preventable male mortality, and more male-stereotypical occupational segregation. Moreover, in these historically male-biased areas, more Australians recently voted against same-sex marriage and boys (but not girls) are more likely to be bullied in school. We interpret these results as manifestations of masculinity norms that emerged due to intense local male-male competition. Once established, masculinity norms persisted over time through family socialization as well as peer socialization in schools.time through family socialization as well as peer socialization in schools.
Keywords: masculinity; identity; sex ratio; natural experiment; cultural persistence
JEL Codes: I31; J12; J16; N37; O10; Z13
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| historical convict sex ratio (J82) | share of men who volunteered for World War I (H56) |
| historical convict sex ratio (J82) | assault rates (J12) |
| historical convict sex ratio (J82) | sexual assault rates (J12) |
| historical convict sex ratio (J82) | male suicide rates (J12) |
| historical convict sex ratio (J82) | support for same-sex marriage (K16) |