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Traditional Views, Egalitarian Views, and the Child Penalty: Insights from Immigrant Populations in France

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  • Dominique Meurs
  • Pierre Pora

Abstract

This study uses French survey data on immigrants to explore whether the child penalty is driven by traditional gender attitudes. The dataset includes individual perceptions of gender inequality and women's bodily autonomy, alongside fertility histories and labor market trajectories for immigrants living in France during 2019–2020. While women holding more traditional views are less likely to participate in the labor force overall, the child penalty does not appear to be larger for this group. Interestingly, the child penalty accounts for a significantly greater share of the gender gap in labor force participation among those with more egalitarian views. Comparative analyses across immigrants’ upbringing environments and countries of origin further support a causal interpretation of the absence of a relationship between traditional gender attitudes and the child penalty.

Suggested Citation

  • Dominique Meurs & Pierre Pora, 2025. "Traditional Views, Egalitarian Views, and the Child Penalty: Insights from Immigrant Populations in France," EconomiX Working Papers 2025-10, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    • Handle: RePEc:drm:wpaper:2025-10
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Child penalty; Immigrants; Attitudes; Values;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J15 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Minorities, Races, Indigenous Peoples, and Immigrants; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement

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