Date: Tuesday, 25 February 2025, at 12:15 pm
Venue: Seminar Room Bruguier Pacini, DEM
Speaker and Title:
Dario Chiaiese, Valentina Ciriotto (University of Siena)
Nurturing the career. The impact of nursery schools on female labor participation in contemporary Italy (1952-1991)
Abstract:
This paper analyzes the impact of nursery schools on female labor participation in the Italian Second Postwar period (1952-1991). We provide the first historical dataset on early childcare for the provinces of Italy.
The results suggest that the effect of nursery schools on female participation is conditional on the structure of the labor market. Women employed in industry and services were more likely to be influenced by early childcare than those working in agriculture, where the size of the household had a more significant impact, as it was likely that other household members were responsible for childcare. Since agricultural activities were concentrated in the South, the effect of nursery schools contributed to the existing regional disparities within the country.