Abstract Book of the 9th World Conference on Social Sciences
Year: 2025
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Beyond Efficiency: Feminist Economics and The Reframing of Global Trade
Neha Rai, Anwesha Aditya
ABSTRACT:
This paper investigates the intersection of feminist economics and trade theory through a systematic literature review guided by PRISMA methodology. It addresses the longstanding gap in trade theory’s treatment of gender, highlighting how feminist critiques have challenged the presumed neutrality of classical and neoclassical models. Drawing on a rigorously curated body of literature, the review synthesizes empirical and conceptual contributions on gendered labor markets, entrepreneurship, informal cross-border trade, digital trade, and women’s positions in global value chains. Thematically clustered findings reveal how trade liberalization often reinforces gender disparities in wages, employment, and access to markets. Feminist economists have not only exposed these biases but also offered alternative frameworks that foreground power relations, unpaid care work, and institutional asymmetries. This paper develops a conceptual model that integrates feminist insights into trade analysis, arguing that such an approach reframes policy prescriptions and theoretical foundations. By situating these insights within the broader evolution of economic thought, the paper proposes a shift from gender-blind trade reforms to structurally inclusive trade policies. It calls for a reimagining of trade governance one that moves beyond tokenistic gender chapters toward equity-centered models. The findings offer a forward-looking research agenda with implications for building transformative trade policies that promote substantive gender equity.
Keywords: Gender; Globalization; Institutions; PRISMA Systematic Review; Women Exporters