ORIGINS OF FEMINIST ECONOMICS AND IMPORTANT THOUGHT-LEADERS
The origins of feminist economics date back to mid-19th century, certain concerns about the situation of women can be found even in literature of 17th and 18th centuries. However, it gained on importance during the 1990s when the term “feminist economics” was first used.
The key material regarded as founding document of feminist economics was Marilyn’s Waring book “If Women Counted” (1988). This book brought a fundamental critique of how economic growth is measured. Waring pointed out that women’s unpaid work as well as value of nature have been omitted from variables considered to create the economic activity of nations (system of national accounts). Waring’s findings triggered redefinition of gross domestic product by the United Nations.
A further important milestone was establishment of the International Association for Feminist Economics (IAFEE) in 1992, followed by the first volume of the journal Feminist Economics in 1995.
There are many scholars or “thought-leaders” who contributed to development of feminist economics such as the Danish economist Ester Boserup, American economists Marianne Ferber, Barbra Bergmann, Heidi Hartmann or Julie A. Nelson or Indian development economist Bina Agarwal. A list of further names of feminist economists can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_feminist_economists.
Over time, feminist economics developed its own theoretical base (concepts, analytical frameworks, methodologies) as well as initiatives for its practical application which became a source for political decisions. It gradually evolved in a clearly opposing school of thought to neoclassical economics.
Feminist economics has been also closely interlinked with political and social movements. It is not a single school of economic thought. It’s very diverse and includes many different perspectives. Over the years three main perspectives developed: liberal feminist economics, constructivist feminist economics, and critical feminist economics.
