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Free to Choose? The Gendered Impacts of Flexible Working Hours in Brazil

Author

Listed:
  • Lygia Sabbag Fares
  • Ana Luíza Matos de Oliveira

Abstract

This article examines the effects of the flexibilization of working time in terms of gender segmentation in the labor market. It proposes and analyzes eight categories of women’s participation in the labor market and the effects of flexibilization on each of them. By using household survey data and case studies, the research shows that some forms of flexibilization reinforce the sexual division of labor, for example, low pay for precarious, part-time home-based work, and low social status that perpetuate caregiving roles for women in the private realm. Concurrently, forms of flexibilization associated with better pay do not consider the existing sexual division of labor, in that they demand women’s total availability for work, thus impacting their careers and lives negatively. JEL Classification : J01, J16, D63

Suggested Citation

  • Lygia Sabbag Fares & Ana Luíza Matos de Oliveira, 2023. "Free to Choose? The Gendered Impacts of Flexible Working Hours in Brazil," Review of Radical Political Economics, Union for Radical Political Economics, vol. 55(1), pages 166-186, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:reorpe:v:55:y:2023:i:1:p:166-186
    DOI: 10.1177/04866134221089993
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Nancy Folbre & Julie A. Nelson, 2000. "For Love or Money--Or Both?," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 14(4), pages 123-140, Fall.
    2. repec:ilo:ilowps:488423 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Oliveira, Ana Luíza Matos de., 2015. "Brazil : case study on working time organization and its effects in the health services sector," ILO Working Papers 994884233402676, International Labour Organization.
    4. Dani Rodrik, 2016. "Premature deindustrialization," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 1-33, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    gender inequality; neoliberalism; austerity; Brazil; sexual division of labor; labor market; working time; labor flexibilization;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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