Veni grant for research into wage gap and gender inequality

Sociologist Maaike van der Vleuten has been awarded a Veni grant. This €280,000 NWO grant will enable her to further develop her research ideas over the next three years. ‘Through this research project, we will learn a lot more about the causes of gender inequality and (in)equality in the work and family lives of LGBT couples.’

With her research, Van der Vleuten aims to find out what LGBT couples can teach us about gender inequality. ‘Significant life events like getting married, having children and getting divorced increase the wage gap between men and women. This gender inequality is often explained based on differences between the sexes. But what about couples where there are no sex differences to begin with?’

I plan to do this using the largest, longitudinal, representative information source about same-sex couples to date.

Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark

By comparing the income trends of gay and lesbian couples to those of heterosexual couples, Van der Vleuten wishes to determine to what extent the wage gap that arises after significant life events is actually explained by differences between sexes in a relationship. ‘I plan to do this using the largest, longitudinal, representative information source about same-sex couples to date: registry data from the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark from the period of 1990 to 2021. This will tell us a lot about the work and family lives of same-sex couples in different countries.’

Inclusive

The sociologist also points out that it’s time to take a more inclusive approach to inequality issues regarding income and the distribution of work and family responsibilities. ‘Families with two men or two women are an ever-growing group in society. Through this research, we will learn a lot more about the causes of inequality in the work and family lives of LGBT couples.’ By shedding light on why and when men and women structure their work and family lives differently, Van der Vleuten ultimately aims to help narrow the wage gap.

On the day I heard the news, I think my heart rate never dropped below 150.

‘Euphoric’

When she found out that she had won a Veni grant, Van der Vleuten says she was ‘euphoric!’ ‘I was so happy that my hard work was being rewarded, and that I would be able to carry out this important research. On the day I heard the news, I think my heart rate never dropped below 150.’

Stockholm and Utrecht

Van der Vleuten obtained her PhD from Utrecht University, worked at Radboud University and is currently affiliated with Stockholm University. She will carry out the current research project for which she was awarded the Veni grant at UU’s Department of Sociology.

78 researchers earned Veni grants in this round. In addition to Van der Vleuten, seven others are working at Utrecht University.