In this book talk, social scientist Sibylle Gollac will discuss her recent book ‘The Gender of Capital’, co-authored with Céline Bessière.  

Combining quantitative, ethnographic, and archival research, the book explains how and why, in every class of society, women are economically disadvantaged with respect to their husbands, fathers, and brothers. The reasons lie with the unfair economic arrangements that play out in divorce proceedings, estate planning, and other crucial situations where law and family life intersect.

Whatever the formal legal norms may be, they too often lead to gender inequality. In private decisions, families continue to allocate resources disproportionately to benefit boys and men. Meanwhile, the legal profession perpetuates assumptions that reinforce gender inequality.