Research grants for studies on family economics and school environments

Opening the Black Box of Family Finances

“The funding from Handelsbanken will enable us to study how parenthood changes how parents use their time and their economic position within the household,” explains Yoko Okuyama. “I am delighted that we will finally have the opportunity to measure something that has always been there but has never been fully captured.”

Preliminary research on parents in heterosexual couples shows a clear contrast. Mothers’ personal consumption decreases sharply after childbirth, while fathers’ remains largely unchanged. The same pattern applies to time spent on personal interests.

The project combines a family economics framework with a unique, long-running household survey from Japan that has followed the same women and their families for nearly three decades. No comparable survey exists in other advanced economies.

The data captures personal consumption and time use at a detailed level, making it possible for the first time to open what can be described as the black box of family finances.

“The funding allows me to dedicate more time to the research itself, travel to conferences to disseminate our findings, and, perhaps most importantly, invite my collaborators to Sweden. The team includes economists from Columbia University, Yale University, and Arizona State University,” says Yoko.

Effects of Gender Composition Among Students in School

“Recent Swedish research suggests that the gender composition of primary school classrooms affects girls’ and boys’ academic performance, mental health, and future earnings in different ways. Funding from Handelsbanken will allow us to access data that can help us investigate why,” says Lucas Tilley.

Sweden is often considered to be gender-equal, but there are still clear gender disparities in education and the labour market. In school, boys generally lag behind girls in grades and educational attainment. In working life, women are overrepresented in lower-paid occupations and have higher rates of stress-related sick leave. These patterns may partly originate in the early school environment.

The project examines whether classroom gender composition affects how teachers stimulate, support, and challenge students. It also considers perceptions of school values related to gender equality, as well as the overall school climate, including safety and a calm learning environment.

“By identifying which aspects of the school environment are influenced by classroom gender composition, the project aims to deepen understanding of the origins of gender differences in education, labour market outcomes, and wellbeing, and whether these relationships differ between girls and boys. The findings can contribute to ongoing policy discussions on gender equality,” says Lucas.