Anders, JD;
Jerrim, J;
(2017)
The socio-economic gradient in educational attainment and labour market outcomes: A cross-national comparison.
In:
Pathways to Adulthood: Educational opportunities, motivation and attainment in times of social change.
(pp. 25-50).
UCL IOE Press: London, UK.
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Abstract
This paper reviews evidence on the link between family background, educational attainment and labour market outcomes across four rich English-speaking countries (Australia, Canada, England and the United States of America). It uses a life course approach, where the magnitude of socio-economic disparities is measured and compared cross-nationally at key transition points. We find that socio-economic inequalities are usually (although not always) smallest in Canada and greatest in the USA. Thus, drawing upon evidence from a collection of independent studies, we find little evidence to support suggestions that the USA is the land of opportunity, where individuals from humble origins can successfully pursue the American dream. Rather, family background matters more to lifetime opportunities in the USA than in other comparable countries.
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