Economics & feminism

In Economics and Feminism: Disturbances in the Field, Albelda examines the characteristics of economics that have made it almost impervious to feminism. She finds that the dominance of neoclassical economic theory since the 1970s has made the field especially resistant to dissension. Any field overwhelmingly governed by a single paradigm is naturally less open to challenging points of view. Moreover, the theory claims to promote value free analysis, rejecting approaches that assert gender bias. Albelda's study is the first to critically examine the marginal impact of feminism on economics. She explores the history of feminism and economics with surprising resultsnamely that women were better represented in the profession in the 1920s than they were in the early 1970s. Albelda also looks to the future, pointing to some signs that feminists and feminism are beginning to influence economics and that they may be an important catalyst in the revitalization of the field. Albelda presents her material in accessible prose that is appropriate to her audience of both feminists and economists. This study provides the first thorough investigation into the lack of a feminist perspective in this field that is so important to the shaping of policy in America. Albelda's original research and authoritative analysis will make a lasting contribution to both feminist and economic scholarship.