Norms, Institutions and Women's Labour Market Outcomes in Global Perspective

Why do women’s labour market outcomes continue to diverge across countries that share similar policy ambitions? Norms, Institutions and Women's Labour Market Outcomes in Global Perspective reveals how slow-moving gender norms interact with welfare systems, labour regulations, and family policy to shape women’s work opportunities across generations. Rather than treating gender inequality as the product of individual preferences or isolated reforms, the book shows how institutional legacies and deeply rooted expectations continue to structure everyday economic life. Through five theoretically selected country cases - Sweden, Spain, Croatia, South Africa, and Indonesia - the authors trace how historical turning points such as regime transitions, welfare expansions, and market restructuring created enduring patterns of norm-institution alignment. Their comparative, mixed-methods approach highlights why similar reforms can produce sharply different results across contexts. Bridging economics, sociology, political science, and gender studies, this book offers a cohesive framework for scholars and policymakers seeking to understand - and transform - the long shadow of gendered tradition.