International Journal of Comparative Sociology current issue

Educational Fields of Study and European Labor Markets: Introduction to a Special Issue

van de Werfhorst, H. G. — 2008-08-07

Labor Market Effects of Field of Study in Comparative Perspective: An Analysis of 22 European Countries

Reimer, D., Noelke, C., Kucel, A. — 2008-08-07

This article seeks to provide one of the first systematic comparative analyses of labor market consequences associated with fields of study. Using data of 22 countries from the European Labor Force Surveys (2004 and 2005), we analyze how field of study affects unemployment and occupational status for university-educated graduates. Our core hypothesis is that relative differences between fields should increase with educational expansion at the university level. Results of multilevel two-step regressions generally confirm our expectations. The more students graduate from universities, the greater the differences in labor market chances of university graduates from different fields.

Field of Study and Gender Segregation in European Labour Markets

Smyth, E., Steinmetz, S. — 2008-08-07

This article explores the role of field of study in channelling tertiary graduates into gender-appropriate occupations and the extent to which this process varies across countries. Previous research has demonstrated that such cross-country differences can be attributed to the nature of the welfare regime. However, less attention has been devoted to the potential impact of educational institutions and labour market systems. Using the European Union Labour Force Survey 2004 for 17 EU Member States, results of the multilevel analysis reveal that cross-national variation in occupational gender segregation must be seen in the context of institutional variation in education and labour market systems. The representation of women in higher education and the labour force, the gender pay gap and the provision of childcare explain a significant proportion of cross-national variation in occupational segregation by gender.

Field of Study and Flexible Work: A Comparison between Germany and the UK

Giesecke, J., Schindler, S. — 2008-08-07

In this article, the relationship between study programs in higher education and the risk of holding a temporary contract is investigated in a comparative perspective. We find that the effects fields of study have on the type of contract can be better explained by their link to occupational positions than by field specificity differentials. Furthermore, fields of study are more important in explaining the individual risk of holding a temporary contract in the German rather than in the UK labor market. This may be attributable to the higher degree of standardization of the German educational system.

Do Fields of Study Matter for Over-education?: The Cases of Spain and Germany

Ortiz, L., Kucel, A. — 2008-08-07

Resorting to European Labor Force Survey 2003—2005 data and controlling for factors traditionally accounting for over-education, we demonstrate here that fields of study influence the odds of being overeducated in Spain and in Germany. Being more stratified than the Spanish system of education, the German one uses fields of study as a signaling device for the labor market to a lesser extent than Spanish one. Cross-country similarities in terms of the relative position of fields of study within the country are discussed. Two samples have been researched: a general sample with information about individuals' fields of study as well as a restricted sample with additional information individuals' parental ISEI score, when such information was available. Heckman selection modeling has been applied to the latter (restricted) sample. A new technique has been devised to measure over-education, relying on ISCED categories instead of years of education.

Field of Study and Students' Workload in Higher Education: Ireland and Austria in Comparative Perspective

Darmody, M., Smyth, E., Unger, M. — 2008-08-07

There is a growing recognition of the importance of `field of study' in social research. However, few of the existing studies explore the extent to which different fields of study facilitate or constrain opportunities to engage in employment and students' perceptions of their work load in higher education. This article aims to explore the workload of higher education students across different fields of study in comparative perspective. Contrasting Ireland and Austria enables us to explore the way in which the institutional context influences student workload. Analyses of the survey data were conducted to explore the extent to which field of study influenced time spent at formal classes, on personal study and in term-time employment. Regression models were used to estimate the effect of field of study, controlling for a number of factors, including higher education institution, personal characteristics and other potential constraints on student time. Finally, we analyse the effect of student workload on overall satisfaction levels.

Patterns of Social Inequalities in Access to Higher Education in France and Germany

Duru-Bellat, M., Kieffer, A., Reimer, D. — 2008-08-07

This article explores social selectivity in access to tertiary education in France and Germany in the period from 1980 to 2000. Results of multinomial logistic regression models show that access to different postsecondary institutions is characterized by marked social background effects in both countries. Depending on the type of tertiary institution we consider in France or Germany, social selectivity into fields of study is also observed. Overall, there is no indication for substantial changes in the pattern of inequality in access to tertiary education in either country during the past two decades.

Educational Fields of Study and the Intergenerational Mobility Process in Comparative Perspective

Jackson, M., Luijkx, R., Pollak, R., Vallet, L.-A., van de Werfhorst, H. G. — 2008-08-07

This article examines the importance of educational field of study, in addition to educational level, for explaining intergenerational class mobility in four countries: France, Germany, the UK and the Netherlands. Starting from standard models that only include educational level, we increase the complexity of the educational measure by differentiating between fields of study within levels. Contrary to our expectations, including field of study does not substantially reduce the partial effect of class origin on class destination. This seems to be due to the limited association between class origin and field choice, and between field choice and class destination. Implications for stratification and mobility studies are discussed.