Claudia Goldin won the 2023 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for advancing understanding of women’s outcomes in the labor market.
Goldin used historical evidence to explain changes in women’s participation, employment, education, and earnings. Her research showed that progress has not followed a simple, continuously rising path. Women’s labor-force participation changed across generations as technology, social norms, education, and the structure of work evolved.
A major theme in her work is the gender pay gap. Goldin showed that differences can widen after childbirth and are especially pronounced in occupations that reward long hours, unpredictable schedules, or constant availability. She also traced how women’s education and career choices changed over time.
Goldin became the third woman to receive the economics prize alone. She was a professor at Harvard University and had previously served as president of the American Economic Association.