Labor Market Volatility, Gender, and Trade Preferences

Abstract What explains divides in the public’s support for trade protection? Traditional economic arguments primarily focus on individuals’ expectations increased or decreased wages face of greater openness, yet studies testing such wage-based concerns identify a different divide as well: even after accounting wage effects, women are typically more supportive protection. We argue that trade-induced employment volatility and resulting stability overlooked factors help explain gender attitudes. Due to both structural discrimination societal norms, we theorize working responsive threat trade-related instability than male counterparts. Using an experiment fielded national samples USA Canada, find most respondents have weak reactions volatility, but has significant effect who vulnerable trade’s disruptive effects – those import-competing industries with limited education.