<p>In this episode, I sit down with Myra Strober to explore the economic roots of gender inequality. We trace how labor markets, educational systems, and public policy intersect to shape women’s opportunities over time. Myra reflects on decades of research examining occupational segregation, wage disparities, and the undervaluation of care work. Rather than treating inequality as an individual failure, she situates it within institutional structures that reward certain forms of labor while marginalizing others.</p><p>We discuss how early educational pathways influence career trajectories, why certain fields remain gendered, and how workplace norms around caregiving continue to disadvantage women. Myra explains how economic theory can both illuminate and obscure these realities, depending on what assumptions are built into models. A central theme that emerges is that markets do not automatically correct inequality. Policy design, institutional reform, and cultural change all play critical roles.</p><p>What struck me most is the long view she brings to the conversation. Change is possible, but it requires sustained attention to both economic incentives and social norms. If education is meant to expand opportunity, we must confront the structural barriers that shape outcomes long after students leave the classroom.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Chapters :</strong></p><p><strong>00:00 – Introduction</strong></p><p><strong>02:15 – Entering the Field of Labor Economics</strong></p><p><strong>07:40 – Understanding Occupational Segregation</strong></p><p><strong>14:20 – The Wage Gap and Its Structural Roots</strong></p><p><strong>20:55 – Education Pathways and Career Outcomes</strong></p><p><strong>28:30 – The Economics of Care Work</strong></p><p><strong>35:10 – Policy Interventions and Their Limits</strong></p><p><strong>42:45 – Workplace Culture and Institutional Barriers</strong></p><p><strong>49:20 – Progress Over Time</strong></p><p><strong>54:10 – The Future of Gender Equity</strong></p><p><strong>58:30 – Closing Reflections</strong></p><p></p>