The aim of this article is to discuss some of the central conceptual and methodological issues which must be tackled if we wish to investigate poverty in a gender-sensitive way. The relationship between women and poverty is complex and thus very difficult to reveal: the disproportionate vulnerability of women arises from the interaction of economic disadvantages and risk factors in labour markets, in domestic circumstances and in welfare systems The methodological challenge that emerges now is how can we reveal the gender dimension of poverty? My answer is that both a new and more suitable theoretical paradigm and a new methodology are required. Women’s poverty cannot be understood and tackled using paradigms and methodological instruments based upon the view that poverty is a gender-neutral phenomenon. Particularly, it is necessary to shed light on the different mechanisms behind women’s poverty and to depict the crucial role played by the inequalities in the distribution of resources within the family in shaping women’s well-being. Thus, longitudinal data are required, since they can efficiently estimate the parameters of dynamic processes in the social sciences. Moreover, specific methodological choices and full methodological awareness are needed. Finally, there is a need for a higher data quality and a greater data comparability.

Ruspini, E. (2000). Women and Poverty. A New Research Methodology. In D. Gordon, P. Townsend (a cura di), Breadline Europe: The Measurement of Poverty (pp. 107-140). Bristol : The Policy Press.

Women and Poverty. A New Research Methodology

Ruspini, E
2000

Abstract

The aim of this article is to discuss some of the central conceptual and methodological issues which must be tackled if we wish to investigate poverty in a gender-sensitive way. The relationship between women and poverty is complex and thus very difficult to reveal: the disproportionate vulnerability of women arises from the interaction of economic disadvantages and risk factors in labour markets, in domestic circumstances and in welfare systems The methodological challenge that emerges now is how can we reveal the gender dimension of poverty? My answer is that both a new and more suitable theoretical paradigm and a new methodology are required. Women’s poverty cannot be understood and tackled using paradigms and methodological instruments based upon the view that poverty is a gender-neutral phenomenon. Particularly, it is necessary to shed light on the different mechanisms behind women’s poverty and to depict the crucial role played by the inequalities in the distribution of resources within the family in shaping women’s well-being. Thus, longitudinal data are required, since they can efficiently estimate the parameters of dynamic processes in the social sciences. Moreover, specific methodological choices and full methodological awareness are needed. Finally, there is a need for a higher data quality and a greater data comparability.
Capitolo o saggio
Poverty; Women's Poverty; Methodology; Gender-sensitive Research.
English
Breadline Europe: The Measurement of Poverty
Gordon, D; Townsend, P
2000
9781861342928
The Policy Press
107
140
Ruspini, E. (2000). Women and Poverty. A New Research Methodology. In D. Gordon, P. Townsend (a cura di), Breadline Europe: The Measurement of Poverty (pp. 107-140). Bristol : The Policy Press.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/34069
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