This thesis explores the causal relationship between economic distress and the demand for gender equality policies using survey data from Sweden and the EU. By employing Bartik instru- ments to address endogeneity concerns, the study estimates the effect of economic distress on the demand for gender equality policies. The findings indicate that negative economic shocks have no significant effect on the demand for gender equality policies in Sweden, while in the EU, the effect is statistically insignificant and slightly positive. Additionally, the analysis suggests that individuals’ political preferences might not only be shaped during individuals’ formative years but can also evolve beyond impressionable ages. These results contribute to the existing literature by shedding light on the intricate dynamics between economic circumstances, political preferences, and gender equality policies. Further research is needed to fully understand the variation in the relationship across different political and geographical contexts.

Since the 1990&rsquo / s, interest in the European Union (EU) gender equality policies has increased among feminist scholars and activists. In this context, studies focusing on equal pay for work of equal value, equal treatment in education, and access to employment, among others have been undertaken and different dimensions of the EU gender equality policies have been a subject of much debate. This thesis is an effort to critically review the potential of these policies vis-&agrave / -vis their capacity to bring about gender equality in the EU Member States and examine their implications for Turkey as a candidate country. The fundamental argument that underlines this thesis is that the EU gender equality regime, which is mainly concerned with equality in the work place, falls short of effectively responding to the complexities of gender inequality within diverse women&rsquo / s experiences and socioeconomic settings. In Turkey, women&rsquo / s organizations have used the EU accession process to demand major legislative reforms. As a result, it can be said that &lsquo / equality before law&rsquo / is now more or less achieved in Turkey. However, in practice, gender inequality is a pervasive problem in all spheres of life. In the area of employment serious gender v pay gaps exist and unemployment rate of Turkish women is on the rise. Women also face discrimination in other areas of concern such as in access to education and political participation and they encounter multiple forms of violence in both public and private spheres of life. In view of the diversities of women&rsquo / s experiences both in member as well as candidate countries of the EU, the thesis concludes that if the EU is to be a viable project in truly bringing about gender equality it needs to move beyond economics to include social goals within its core policies as well.

This thesis consists of three essays that explore incentives and disincentives in the U.S. social safety net. In the first essay, my coauthors and I measure the size and impact of U.S. marriage taxation. Our marriage tax measure incorporates all major federal and state taxes and transfer programs. The measure is calculated as the expected percentage loss in lifetime spending from marriage, controlling for partner choice. We find an average marriage tax of 2.69 percent that is substantially higher for low-income individuals. Exploiting state-level variation, we find that the marriage taxes strongly disincentivize marriage. Among females with children, a one percentage point increase in the marriage tax rate decreases the probability of marrying by 3.69 percentage points. The second essay evaluates the effects of free pre-kindergarten (Pre-K) programs on maternal labor force participation (LFP). Pre-K rules vary across U.S. states, and most states have income eligibility requirements. To estimate the causal effects of access to Pre-K on labor supply, we examine the change in the LFP of mothers whose child becomes age-eligible for Pre-K controlling for individual factors. We find that access to Pre-K increases overall maternal LFP by 2.3 percentage points. However, the effect is significant only for mothers with certain demographic characteristics. Our results are robust across a series of placebo tests and alternative specifications and sample restrictions. In the third essay I estimate how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) changed the returns to work and affected labor supply decisions. First, I identify three natural experiments where the ACA changed work incentives. I find that depending on the experiment and affected population, the ACA changed weekly hours worked by between -3 and +2. Next, I use an exogenous shock to effective marginal tax rates (EMTRs) introduced by the ACA as an instrument to estimate the overall labor supply elasticity. I find it to be 0.1. Using this elasticity, I estimate the aggregate effect of the ACA on work effort. I find that, in the aggregate, the ACA did not affect US labor supply. However, for some groups the effect was economically and statistically significant.

Despite policy efforts by the Chinese state to eradicate gender inequality, statistics show that the issue of gender discrimination in the work domain has become increasingly acute in modern day China. The prevailing gender inequality derives from China’s deeply rooted masculine oriented cultural and societal structure, and traditional norms and values towards women in the work domain are fighting the policies against gender inequality that the Chinese state has implemented. Studies show that foreign affiliations have the ability to transplant corporate culture internationally, which also infers a transplantation of certain policies. One of the many western countries that have seen its corporations establish offices in China is Sweden - a country which puts a lot of focus and emphasis on promoting gender equality. Chinese and Swedish cultural and societal structure differs a lot, and so does the focus on gender equality. The theory suggests that gender equality is highly prioritized in Sweden, while it is less prioritized in China. This constitutes an interesting phenomena regarding how managers at Swedish based corporations, established in Shanghai, manage Swedish gender equality policies cross-culturally. The purpose of this study is to describe and explore how Swedish based corporations that are established in Shanghai, China, manage gender equality policies cross-culturally. In order to answer our research question, we performed four face to face semi-structured interviews together with four suitable Swedish based corporations at their offices in Shanghai. The results from this study concluded that the Swedish based corporations transfer the vast majority of their policy framework to their offices in Shanghai, particularly gender equality policies. The gender equality policies were often included in the corporations Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) framework. The study could conclude that even though no adaption was done to the policy documents per se, the Swedish corporations did adapt modestly to how they manage the policies in practice in Shanghai. This followed as a consequence of a wish to respectfully adapt to Chinese legal and cultural prerequisites. Due to China's legal prerequisites, some policies, such as parental leave, could not be fully implemented at the Shanghai offices. In other words, in those instances, the policy documents were trumped by legal employment regulations. Cultural prerequisites affected how the managers in the shanghai offices dealt with the policy documents in practice. Our study could found that policy management was closely connected to the corporate culture in the Shanghai offices. Our study could thus conclude that the Swedish based corporations adapt the policy management in practice to the meet Chinese culture, without compromising the Swedish corporate culture and values. / Oberoende av de satsningar som den kinesiska staten har infört för att utrota ojämlikhet mellan män och kvinnor visar statistik att könsdiskriminering inom kinas företagsvärld ökar. Den rådandeojämlikheten härstammar från Kinas maskulint orienterade samhälle, och traditionella normer och värderingar motarbetar de jämställdhetsfrämjande policyer som den kinesiska staten har implementerat. Studier visar att globala företag har möjlighet att överföra och etableraföretagskulturen internationellt, vilket även innefattar specifika policyer. Ett land vars företag har etablerat många företagskontor i Kina är Sverige: ett land som har ett högt fokus på att främjajämställdhet. Den kinesiska kulturen och dess samhällsstruktur skiljer sig avsevärt från den svenska, vilket även inkluderar att arbetet för jämställdhet skiljer sig mycket mellan de två länderna. Teorin förklarar att jämställdhet är högt prioriterat i Sverige, medan den är mindre prioriterad i Kina. Avvikelsen mellan länderna leder till ett spännande forskningsfenomen, nämligen kring hur de svenska företag som är etablerade i Shanghai hanterar jämställdhetspolicyer interkulturellt. Syftet med vår studie är att beskriva och utforska hur svenska företag som är etablerade i Shanghaihanterar jämställdhetspolicyer interkulturellt. För att besvara vår forskningsfråga har vi genomfört fyra semi-strukturerade intervjuer med fyra lämpligt utvalda svenska företag på deras kontor i Shanghai. Resultatet av vår studie visar att de svenska företagen överför majoriteten av sina policyer till kontoren i Shanghai, framförallt de policyerna som är relaterade till jämställdhet. Dessa jämställdhetspolicyer är oftast inkluderade i företagens ramverk för Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR, företagets samhällsansvar). Studien kan dra slutsatsen att svenska företag inte anpassar innehållet och betydelsen av sina jämställdhetspolicyer, men att de anpassar och förändrar hur de hanterar och arbetar med dem på kontoren i Shanghai. Anledningen till anpassningen är att de svenska företagen vill bemöta kinas kulturella och legala förutsättningar. Till följd av Kinas legala förutsättningar kan inte alla policyer etableras likadant i Shanghai som i Sverige; exempelvis vad gäller föräldraledighet. Sådana policyer övervins av de lokala legala bestämmelserna. De kulturella skillnaderna påverkar hur chefer på de kinesiska kontoren hanterar policyerna i praktiken. Studien visar att policyhantering är nära relaterat till företagskultur, och att det är genom företagskulturen som policyerna hanteras i praktiken. Således visar studien att de svenska företag som deltog i vår forskning anpassar hur de hanterar jämställdhetspolicyer i praktiken för att bemöta den kinesiskakulturen, utan att kompromissa den svenska företagskulturen och dess värderingar.

This qualitative study delves into the intricate relationship between gender equality policies and work-life balance in the Swedish professional landscape. Thematic analysis of narratives from four respondents reveals insights into "Perception of Gender Equality Policies," "Key Challenges in Balancing Career and Family Responsibilities," and "Organizational Practices and Cultures." Aligned with Herzberg's Balance Theory and Feminist Theory, the findings highlight the positive impact of gender equality policies, fostering inclusivity and challenging norms. Challenges persist, including gender role conformity, family prioritization stigma, and glass ceilings for women. Organizational culture and leadership play pivotal roles, with resistance varying across departments. The study extends discourse on policy effectiveness to Sweden, emphasizing nuanced considerations in the evolving work landscape. Resonating with prior research, it underscores the necessity of future studies on individual experiences, evolving work paradigms, and intersectionality to enhance gender equality policy implications. A vital step in understanding Swedish work dynamics, this research offers insights for policymakers, organizations, and scholars, aiming to inform policy improvements for a more equitable work environment.