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Global Issues in the Sociology of Education II
Language: English
The “middle class” has several attributes: e.g. it has the power to “win elections”, it is subjects of political reforms and describes best the social structure of modern societies. However, the definition of the middle class is as various as its attributes. It is measured e.g. in (occupational) statues positions, education level, income or assets. In this session, we focus on relative income positions (compared to other individuals/households) as measure of “middle class” and education and vocational qualification as a way to achieve or maintain them.
During industrialization, a vocational qualification (ISCED 3b,4) usually enabled male workers for a skilled production job and a decent income. However, with ongoing globalization and technological progress employment chances shifted from production to service industry, which was accompanied with educational expansion in most (post-) industrialized countries. In an intergenerational view, we might therefore see that children have higher education or status positions as their parents. However, it remains unclear, whether this also leads to better relative income positions. This session focuses on the quantitative analysis of individual consequences as a result of macroeconomic developments (e.g. technological progress, globalization, educational expansion) and welcomes contributions to
- shifts in qualification structure of the income middle class
- comparisons of parents and children’s corresponding occupational status and relative incomes
- differences in beliefs and norms of the “old” and “new” income middle class that can be explained by educational background.
- individual consequences of (inter- or intergenerational) movements out from and into the income middle class.