Romanticising the gender wage gap in modern Indonesia: old themes and new ideas in labour market expectations

Ariane J. Utomo, Australian National University

This paper addresses the issue of the gender gap in labour force outcomes within the context of a rapidly modernizing society. A survey of senior university students in two contrasting urban cities provided evidence on the interplay between aspirations of career and family formation among the young educated elite in Indonesia (N=1762). Along with demographic and economic change, the study hypothesized that shifting gender norms have created a preference for a more egalitarian dual earner marriage. However, findings indicate that the traditional ideals placing men as the breadwinner and women as secondary earners are still prevalent. Qualitative insights highlight how the universality of marriage and having children entail women to assume a role to satisfy the increasing economic needs without relegating their noble role to maintain family harmony. The study exemplifies how cultural, religious and institutional forces influence how the respondents negotiate their labour force and demographic aspirations.