Literary gender norms and household economics

Literary gender norms and household economics

Do the fields of economics and fiction overlap when analysing human behaviour? A new book demonstrates that the two areas have more in common than we might think.

Published by Routledge, Economics and Literature: A Novel Approach features insights from economists who explore how literature can deepen our understanding of economic behaviour and societal change.

A chapter by CAGE Research Director, Bishnupriya Gupta delves into the way fiction can reveal the emotional and social costs of gender inequality in modern households.

“Women in a nervous breakdown: Intra household bargaining and gender norms in South Korea” examines how traditional gender roles persist in South Korea despite rapid modernisation and rising female education and labour force participation.

The author uses two acclaimed South Korean novels - The Vegetarian by Han Kang and Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo - to illustrate how economic models of household decision-making play out in real-life contexts shaped by cultural norms.

She contrasts two economic frameworks: the unitary model, where household decisions are made collectively, and the bargaining model, which reflects individual preferences and power dynamics.

By overlaying these models onto the novels, the analysis demonstrates how cultural contexts impose costs to women’s independence and autonomy placed on the main characters. Both narratives result in psychological distress, reinforcing the emotional toll of entrenched cultural norms and gender expectations.

Bishnupriya Gupta, Professor of Economics and CAGE Research Director says:

“Literature provides a different perspectives on gender inequality.

“South Korea has seen impressive economic growth and rising education levels for women. But this analysis shows that traditional gender roles within families remain stubbornly unchanged, often leaving women with little control over household decisions and personal choices.

“Both women in the two novels end up in mental health institutions, a powerful metaphor for the emotional toll of living in a society where economic progress hasn’t translated into gender equality at home.”

The chapter also draws on empirical research, including studies on happiness, labour force participation, and gender pay gaps to contextualise the literary analysis. It highlights the need for mechanisms to bridge economics and the humanities and a more nuanced approach to gender and development.