This paper explores the relationship between gender equality and economic democracy in worker cooperatives in the United States. A specific method for analyzing women's status in worker cooperatives is proposed. Preliminary findings from a small-scale survey of U.S. worker cooperatives in 2001 are presented, showing that despite the egalitarian nature of cooperatives several gender inequalities persist. JEL classification: J54, B54, P13
Workers’ participation in making business decisions is a key aspect of the management structure of labor-managed firms. However, studies of the variables that determine the degree to which an individual participates in decision-making fail to consider the impact of gender relations. This paper first argues that the organizational features of labor-managed firms have a significant impact on participation. Second, the paper argues that that these organizational features and other explanatory variables have different effects on women’s and men’s participation, due to patriarchal gender relations. Third, this paper tests these theories using data from American labor-managed firms. Several of the variables and organizational features have significantly different impacts on women’s and men’s participation. Notably, occupational status, the surplus distribution method, the wage differential, performance measurements, and the level of cross-training each have gender-differentiated effects on participation.
Purpose -The purpose of this paper is to explain how student-written diaries and journals serve as a specifically feminist pedagogy for teaching feminist economics, thereby challenging the lecture-based techniques used to teach and uphold the mainstream, market-fundamentalist paradigm.Design/methodology/approach -The approach involves the author's observations and experiences using student-written diaries to teach a feminist economics course.Findings -Student-written diaries have the potential to dislodge both the market-fundamentalist economics paradigm and the lecture-based teaching method that dominate the undergraduate economics curriculum. Student-written diaries are especially useful in teaching feminist economics courses which strive to elevate women's economic status and/or to reduce the androcentric bias in economics. The paper describes how student-written diaries are used to achieve both of these goals and to create a more inclusive classroom culture, while simultaneously challenging market fundamentalism.Originality/value -The paper offers a new pedagogical technique to be used for teaching feminist economics courses and for countering lecture-based courses that focus on market fundamentalism.
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