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The economic consequences of being widowed by war: A life-cycle perspective

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Despite millions of war widows worldwide, little is known about the economic consequences of being widowed by war. We use life history data from West Germany to show that war widowhood increased women’s employment immediately after World War II but led to lower employment rates later in life. War widows, therefore, carried a double burden of employment and childcare while their children were young but left the workforce when their children reached adulthood. We show that the design of compensation policies likely explains this counterintuitive life-cycle pattern and examine potential spillovers to the next generation.

Source: Journal of Public Economics

DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105241

Authors: Sebastian T. Braun, Jan Stuhler

Institutions: IZA - Institute of Labor Economics, University of Bayreuth, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Gender equality

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,800