Gendered Patterns of Time Use over the Life Cycle: Evidence from Turkey

Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, Working Paper No. 884

37 Pages Posted: 1 Mar 2017

See all articles by Ebru Kongar

Ebru Kongar

Dickinson College - Department of Economics

Emel Memis

Bard College - The Levy Economics Institute

Date Written: February 27, 2017

Abstract

Using data from the 2006 Turkish Time-Use Survey, we examine gender differences in time allocation among married heterosexual couples over the life cycle. While we find large discrepancies in the gender division of both paid and unpaid work at each life stage, the gender gap in paid and unpaid work is largest among parents of infants compared to parents of older children and couples without children. The gender gap narrows as children grow up and parents age. Married women’s housework time remains relatively unchanged across their life cycle, while older men spend more time doing housework than their younger counterparts. Over the course of the life cycle, women’s total work burden increases relative to men’s. Placing our findings within the gendered institutional context in Turkey, we argue that gender-inequitable work-family reconciliation policies that are based on gendered assumptions of women’s role as caregivers exacerbate gender disparities in time use.

Keywords: Economics of Gender, Time Use, Life Cycle, Turkey

JEL Classification: D13, J16, J22

Suggested Citation

Kongar, Ebru and Memis, Emel, Gendered Patterns of Time Use over the Life Cycle: Evidence from Turkey (February 27, 2017). Levy Economics Institute of Bard College, Working Paper No. 884, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2924805 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2924805

Ebru Kongar (Contact Author)

Dickinson College - Department of Economics ( email )

Carlisle, PA 17013
United States

Emel Memis

Bard College - The Levy Economics Institute ( email )

Blithewood
Annandale-on-Hudson, NY 12504
United States

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