Theoretical and Empirical Relationship between Gender inequality and Social norms (A Comparative-Quantitative Study in Developing Countries, 1980-2019)

Subject Areas : Quarterly Journal of Woman and Society

Niloofar Saghabashi Naeni ¹ (Ph.D. student of sociology, Department of social sciences, Faculty of Literature and human sciences, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran)

Received: 2023-05-06 Accepted : 2024-01-29 Published : 2024-01-21

Keywords: Gender Inequality, Social Norms, Diffusive Violence, Tyranny of Merit, Legitimization of Inequality,

Abstract :

Introduction: The interconnectedness between gender inequalities, which constitute a type of external inequality, and social norms engenders a mutually influential cause-and-effect relationship, whereby the inherent features and mechanisms of each factor can either impede or intensify the detrimental consequences of the other. Consequently, subsequent to identifying the mechanisms that govern the reciprocal association between social norms and gender inequalities, this research endeavored to validate them through empirical investigation.
Materials and Methods: The current investigation employs the comparative-longitudinal approach and utilizes secondary data obtained from 100 developing nations across the globe between 1980 and 2019. The research duration was compartmentalized into two distinct time intervals, namely 1980-1999 and 2000-2019. The multivariate regression method was employed for the purpose of data analysis.
Results: The findings of the study indicate that gender inequality exerts a diminishing impact on individuals' adherence to and application of established social norms, both directly and indirectly through its influence on the incidence of difussive violence. Conversely, social norms exert a diminishing influence on gender inequality. However, they simultaneously endorse and legitimize gender inequality through the "tyranny of merit" ideology and the naturalization of gender-based disparities via particularistic biases.
Conclusion: The findings of this study allow for the assertion that reciprocal interactions exist between social norms and social inequalities, with their manifestation being contingent upon the respective conditions and fundamental attributes of each, as well as their degree of prevalence within a given societal context.

References:

Chalabi M. Sociology of Order. Ney Publishing. 2010.

2. Oxfam. Inequality Kills. The unparalleled action needed to combat unprecedented inequality in the wake of COVID-19. 2022.

3. World Economic Forum. Global Gender Gap Report. 2022.

4. Moore MD, Heirigs MH, Barnes AK. A State-Level Analysis of Gender Inequality on Male and Female Homicide. Crime Delinq. 2021; 67(12): 1879-1902.

5. Cohen DK, Karim SM. Does More Equality for Women Mean Less War? Rethinking Sex and Gender Inequality and Political Violence. International Organization. 2022.

6. Caprioli M. Primed for violence: The role of gender inequality in predicting internal conflict. International Studies Quarterly. 2005.

7. Liao CH, Lian JW. Gender inequality in applying research project and funding. J Inf Sci. 2022; 0(0): 1-9.

8. Diprete TA, Eirich GM. Cumulative advantage as a mechanism for inequality: A review of theoretical and empirical developments. Annual Review of Sociology. 2006.

9. Chalabi M. Theoretical and Comparative Analysis in Sociology. Tehran: Ney Publishing; 2014.

10. Survey of Values and Attitudes of Iranians. First wave. 2015.

11. Javadi Yeganeh M. The Conflict between Individual and Collective Interest and factors Affecting People's Behavior in This Situation. Ph.D. Dissertation. Tehran. Tarbiat Modares University. 2005.

12. Arneson RJ. Equality, Coercion, Culture and Social Norms. Polit Philos Econ. 2003; 2(2): 139-163.

13. Blau P, Schwartz J. Crosscutting Social Circles: Testing a Macrostructural Theory of Intergroup Relations. Transaction Publishers. 1997.

14. Chalabi M. Social Analysis in the Space of Action. Tehran. Ney Publishing. 2011.

15. Bottero W. Stratification: Social division and inequality. Stratification: Social Division and Inequality. 2004.

16. Tomaslovic-Devey D, Dustin A.H. Relational Inequalities an Organizational Approach. New York. Oxford University Press. 2019.

17. Winter SL. ‘Who’ or ‘what’ is the rule of law? Philos Soc Crit. 2022; 48(5): 655-673.

18. Therborn, G. The Killing Fields of Inequality. Malden, Polity Press. 2013.

19. Black SE, Brainerd E. Importing equality? The impact of globalization on gender discrimination. Ind Labor Relations Rev. 2004.

20. Bormann NC, Pengl YI, Cederman LE, Weidmann NB. Globalization, Institutions, and Ethnic Inequality. Int Organ. 2021.

21. Maccarini AM. The Normative Texture of Morphogenic Society: Tensions, Challenges, and Strategies. In "Morphogenesis and the Crisis of Normativity' Edited by Margaret Archer. Springer Publication. 2016.   

22. Heneman R.L., Walker J.M. Merit Pay: Linking Pay to Performance in a Changing World. (2^nd edition). Greenwich, CT: Information Age. 2005.

 23.Sandel M. Liberalism and the limits of Justice. Tehran. Markaz Publication. (Translated by Hassan Afshar). 2004.

24. Sandel M. The Tyranny of Merit: Wthat's Become of the Common Good? Parseh Book. (Translated by Saba Norouzi). 2022.

25. Castilla EJ, Benard S. The paradox of meritocracy in organizations. Adm Sci Q. 2010; 55(4): 543-676.

26. Gheaus, A. Gender. In "The Oxford Handbook of Distributive Justice"  Oxford Handbook Press. 2018.

27. Massey D. 2005. Categorically Unequal: The American Stratification System. University of Chicago.

28.CIRI Human Rights Data Project (n.d.).

29. World Values Survey. [https://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/wvs.jsp].

30. Legatum Prosperity Index. [https://www.prosperity.com/].

31. CAF World Giving Index. 2018.  

32. Tilly C. Durable Inequality. University of California press. 1998.

33. Vanhanen Measures of Democracy. 1800-2018.

34.Unesco Institute for Statistics. [http://uis.unesco.org/].

35. World Bank. Worldwide Governance Indicators.

36. Aninat E. Surmounting the Challenges of Globalization. Finance & Development. 2002; 39(1). [https://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/fandd/2002/03/aninat.htm].

37. Gygli S., Haelg F., & Sturm J. The KOF Globalization Index-Revisited. KOF Swiss Economic Institute. 2018.

38. Globe Project.

39. World Bank. Intentional Homicides, female (per 100000 female) data. [https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/VC.IHR.PSRC.FE.P5].

40. Lister M. Institutions, inequality and social norms: Explaining variations in participation. Br J Polit Int Relations. 2007; 9(1): 20-35.

41. Stamkou E, van Kleef GA, Homan AC, Galinsky AD. How norm violations shape social hierarchies: Those who stand on top block norm violators from rising up. Gr Process Intergr Relations. 2016; 19(5): 608-629.

42. van Dijk H, Kooij D, Karanika-Murray M, De Vos A, Meyer B. Meritocracy a myth? A multilevel perspective of how social inequality accumulates through work. Organ Psychol Rev. 2020; 10(3-4): 240-269.

43. Sauer C, Valet P, Shams S, Tomaskovic-Devey D. Categorical Distinctions and Claims-Making: Opportunity, Agency, and Returns from Wage Negotiations. Am Sociol Rev. 2021; 86(5): 934-959.

 44. Callero P. The Myth of Individualism: How Social Forces Shape our Lives. Bidgol. (Translated by Hadi Jalili). 2022.