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Children’s Gender and Men’s Income: Evidence from Iran

Author

Listed:
  • Abbasi Hossein A.

    (Economics Department, University of Maryland, 3114 Tydings Hall, 7343 Preinkert Dr., College Park, MD20742, USA)

  • Karimi Seyed M.

    (Department of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington Tacoma, GWP 228, Box 358436, 1900 Commerce Street, Tacoma, WA98402, USA)

Abstract

In many societies, men work for more hours and acquire higher wages if they have sons versus daughters. Gender bias, higher returns to male children’s human capital, and higher costs of raising male children are hypothesized to explain this behavior. Among these, gender bias has received stronger support from empirical studies. Using a four-year panel dataset, we show that a different institutional setting may make men respond to their children’s gender differently. We study men’s income in a dotal society, Iran, where families are expected to provide dowry for their marrying daughters. We show that, in contrast to the findings in developed countries, Iranian men earn more income when they have daughters versus sons, and we argue that the institution of marriage is the major reason for this unconventional finding.

Suggested Citation

  • Abbasi Hossein A. & Karimi Seyed M., 2017. "Children’s Gender and Men’s Income: Evidence from Iran," Review of Middle East Economics and Finance, De Gruyter, vol. 13(1), pages 1-19, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:rmeecf:v:13:y:2017:i:1:p:19:n:2
    DOI: 10.1515/rmeef-2016-0028
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    children’s gender; man’s income; marriage; dotal society;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J12 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Marriage; Marital Dissolution; Family Structure
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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