Two Nobel Laureates, Two Stories of Unyielding Courage: Claudia Goldin and Narges Mohammadi
Dear Empowered Women and Allies,
As we celebrate the indomitable spirits that contribute to our world's progress, two women have emerged as pillars of resilience, wisdom, and courage. The Nobel Prize, a globally renowned accolade, has recognized the contributions of Claudia Goldin and Narges Mohammadi, who have been monumental in their fields of Economics and Peace, respectively. Their stories offer an awe-inspiring look at what it means to be a woman daring to break barriers and rise against adversity.
Claudia Goldin: Shattering the Glass Ceiling in Economics
Claudia Goldin, a Harvard professor, was recently awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences for her ground-breaking research on women in the workforce[^1^]. She is the first woman to win this prize solo, and only the third woman in history to be honored in the field of Economics since its inception in 1969.
Goldin’s extensive research explores the causes and persistence of gender wage gaps and the dynamics of female employment over the years.
“When I first started working on this subject, I realized that most economic historians were studying child labor, or they were studying the labor of men. But they didn’t really know what women were doing. And so that’s what I worked out.”
She shed light on the complex interplay between societal changes and women's employment, showing that it decreased as economies moved from agriculture to industry, only to surge again with the growth of the service sector. In particular, Goldin emphasized the 1970s as a "revolutionary" period for women. Advancements in birth control during that era allowed women to delay marriage, pursue higher education, and carve out identities beyond domestic roles.
What makes her research exceptionally relevant is her findings on the gender wage gap. She showed that while the gap might have once been attributed to differences in education and career choices, it now mostly occurs within the same professions, often widening after a woman has her first child. This revelation demands serious introspection about the role of systemic gender bias in professional settings.
“We’ve come to a point in which women’s employment is extremely high, and yet there are inequalities. And those inequalities are inequalities that occur within households.”
Narges Mohammadi: The Unyielding Advocate for Women’s Rights
Narges Mohammadi, an Iranian human rights activist, was conferred the Nobel Peace Prize while serving a 10-year sentence in Tehran’s Evin Prison[^2^]. Despite her imprisonment, she has continued her fight against the oppression of women by Iran's government. She even organized prison protests and led workshops for female inmates, focusing on empowering them with knowledge about their rights.
"Tyranny does not impose itself only in the political sphere. This tyranny uses every possible leverage at the disposal of the state to institutionalize discrimination on the basis of gender, sexuality, religion, ethnicity, and ideological orientation, particularly against women."
Mohammadi’s commitment to advocacy is reflected in her refusal to leave Iran, despite the severe consequences she has faced for her activism. Her activism encompasses an array of issues— from Iran’s hijab law to violence against women, sexual harassment, and the rights of death row prisoners. Her vision for change, based on the development of a robust civil society from within Iran, has never wavered, even under the harshest of conditions.
“Killing, imprisoning or denying the rights of a human being is not injustice against one person; it enchains and kills a whole society.”
The Common Thread: Unyielding Courage
While Claudia Goldin and Narges Mohammadi may be from different corners of the world, the thread that ties them together is their relentless pursuit of truth, justice, and the dismantling of systemic gender barriers. Goldin’s focus on the labor market inequalities serves as a foundational pillar for policy changes, while Mohammadi’s undeterred activism against oppressive regimes provides hope to countless women who suffer in silence.
Their stories are not just inspirational narratives; they are calls to action. As we read about these incredible women, we must ask ourselves—what can we do to contribute to the conversations they have sparked? How can we turn their life’s work into a collective societal revolution?
As always, thank you for being a part of our empowering community. Feel free to leave your comments below. Your thoughts and feedback are immensely valuable to us.
With Warm Empowerment,
S.A. Sterling
Sources:
[^1^]: Smialek, Jeanna. "Claudia Goldin Wins Nobel in Economics for Studying Women in the Work Force." *The New York Times*. Published Oct. 9, 2023. Updated Oct. 11, 2023.
[^2^]: Fassihi, Farnaz. "Narges Mohammadi, Iranian Rights Activist, Receives Nobel Peace Prize." *The New York Times*. Published Oct. 6, 2023.
Feel free to leave your thoughts and comments below!