Alumna Rebecca Cardebring awarded SOM Prize 2023

Rebecca Cardebring, alumna of the Department of Economics, has been awarded the SOM Institute's scholarship for the best student thesis based on data from SOM surveys in 2023. Rebecca has won the prize for her study on the demand for gender equality policies, which, among other things, shows that economic distress plays a very small role in this in Sweden.

Rebecca Cardebring

Photo: Daniel Jansson, SOM institute

The SOM Institute awards the SOM Prize, a scholarship of 8000 SEK, each year to the best student thesis that utilizes data from SOM surveys. Rebecca Cardebring completed her master's degree in economics from Uppsala University in June 2023 and is this year's recipient of the prize for her master's thesis titled "Economic Distress and the Demand for Gender Equality Policies."

— It's exciting that the SOM Institute actively promotes research even when conducted by students. To have the institute consider my thesis significant naturally makes me very proud and grateful, says Rebecca.

In her thesis, Rebecca builds on theories that argue that exposure to economic difficulties often leads to an increased demand for gender equality policy measures, especially among women. Using data from several years of national SOM surveys, these relationships are studied within the Swedish context.

— In light of the political and economic developments in recent years, economic difficulties have become an increasingly tangible factor. I believe it is crucial for our society to understand how this could potentially impact political opinions, especially when it comes to gender equality. A better understanding leads to well-informed political decisions and creates room for action, says Rebecca.

The results suggest that ideology is the most influential factor regarding the demand for gender equality policies, rather than external factors such as economic difficulties. Compared to data from other EU countries, economic difficulties play a lesser role in Sweden in terms of the inclination to want investments in gender equality.

According to the prize committee's motivation, Rebecca's thesis contributes, among other things, to a discussion about the importance of context for political positions and also highlights the value of conducting comparative studies involving multiple countries.

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