By Amanda Loudin<\/p>\n
What makes one country wealthy and another poor? And within those countries, what causes the wealth gaps between genders? These were a few of the questions pondered by Paola A. Suarez, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics in the Stillman School of Business, when considering a major for undergraduate studies at George Mason University.<\/p>\n
As an immigrant from Bolivia who arrived to the United States in high school, Suarez\u2019s curiosity was piqued through her own lens of comparison. \u201cThe difference in quality of life was enormous,\u201d she explains. \u201cBolivia is a poor, developing country, but it\u2019s not even close to the poorest. I was curious why, and when I took an economics class in high school, I became interested in economic development.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suarez entered George Mason with that curiosity intact and began pursuing a degree in economics. There she began to understand economic disparities and became interested in how that shook out along gender lines. \u201cI found economics to be a powerful tool, and I loved that it\u2019s so very broadly applicable,\u201d she says. \u201cIt has helped me understand things about the world that I couldn\u2019t before.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Suarez pursued economics through her academic career, she realized how much the field informs social science. To her, economics serves to identify patterns of human behavior in all walks of life. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t explain everything,\u201d she says, \u201cbut it can be applied in incredibly diverse ways.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suarez designed her thesis around the phenomenon of child brides in developing countries where parents exhibit strong preferences for sons. Her research concluded that the frequency of child bride arrangements in developing countries motivated the international community\u2019s campaign to \u201cend child marriage.\u201d However, Suarez learned, although such efforts may improve some outcomes for females \u2014 like health and education \u2014 they may worsen others. This is particularly true in countries with a strong preference for sons, such as India.<\/p>\n
More recently, Suarez has turned her attention to women in the labor market in the United States. \u201cThere are different characteristics in the jobs women seek versus men,\u201d she explains. \u201cThe distinct investments in education and work experience made by women versus men are tied to the difference in the demand for care-taking activities that women tend to disproportionately face.\u201d<\/p>\n
Suarez and a colleague explored the types of jobs women seek in traditional and gig economy jobs. Using the Occupational Information Network database, Suarez found that women seek jobs that allow for greater flexibility. \u201cThis might look like jobs with a shorter workweek, for example, or jobs that offer autonomy in completing required tasks,\u201d she says. \u201cBut when traditional jobs pose constraints, especially when women are the main childcare provider, they are more likely to seek out independent contract work.\u201d<\/p>\n
Amanda Loudin is a Maryland-based freelance writer.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Paola Suarez Rocabado, Ph.D., combines her global perspective with a love of economic development.<\/p>\n