The 2025 Giblin Lecture

What does it mean to be a man, and what has that got to do with the economy?

While economists have long studied how expectations about women’s roles shape their education, job choices and place in the workforce, they’ve largely overlooked the flip side: the powerful economic effects of masculinity. These culturally constructed ideas about what it means to be a ‘real man’ can quietly, yet profoundly, shape everything from labour supply to mental health, political attitudes, and beyond.

Now, new research is revealing that these norms, often inherited from the past, are more than personal beliefs. They are key economic and social drivers, as influential as education or income. Drawing on global data from 70 countries, and a striking case study drawn from Australia’s convict past, this talk explores how notions of masculinity have been formed, transmitted, and entrenched, and how they continue to affect life today.

Secure your spot now to uncover the surprising economic story behind masculinity, past and present. Tickets are free but limited and essential.

Online tickets are also available.