Gender and Social Class: Intersecting Inequalities in Higher Education Access and Outcomes
Language: English
Using Boudon's (1974) distinction between primary effects and secondary effects, research on social class differences often emphasizes secondary effects—how people at the same academic level make different educational choices. In contrast, studies on the female advantage highlight women’s superior academic performance, i.e., primary effects. This intersection raises questions about the relationship between performance and choices, such as whether women from lower social classes have better chances of accessing higher education than men from higher social classes, or whether social class differences are smaller among women than men.
This session invites papers addressing the intersection of gender and social class in educational expectations, access, and completion. We welcome descriptions of gender-social class differences at the micro level, contributing to theoretical frameworks of additive, cumulative, multiplicative, or compensatory social characteristics. Papers on interventions to mitigate gender and social inequalities, considering their interdependencies, are also welcome. At the macro level, papers on the role of education systems and cross-country labor market differences will help understand specific patterns of gender-social class participation in higher education.