The Unintended Consequences of #MeToo: Evidence from Research Collaborations in Economics and Finance

Abstract

How did #MeToo alter the cost of collaboration between women and men? Using data on junior academics in economics and finance, I find that female scholars start fewer projects after #MeToo, primarily due to decreased collaborations with new male co-authors. This trend is not observed among junior male academics or earlier cohorts of junior female academics during a period unaffected by #MeToo. Exploiting variation in universities' exposure to #MeToo based on the perceived risk of sexual harassment accusations for men, I find that collaborations between women and men decline more when this risk is higher. The results suggest that men manage the increased perceived risk of sexual harassment accusations by limiting collaborations with women, potentially hindering women's career opportunities.

Keywords: Corporate Culture, Corporate Governance, Gender, Social Movements, Regulations

JEL Classification: D91, D22, J7, J8, J16, J24