Chapter 4: Higher Education Flashcards
In the Toronto District School Board, how are the statistics for post-secondary attendance.
54% confirmed university
16% confirmed college
30% confirmed neither after graduation
(in 2006)
Define intersectionality.
The combined effects of different status traits
ex. being black and a woman
- Social class is important for all intersectionalities
Intersectionality theory: the theoretical approach that individuals lives and opportunities are inextricably linked to the multiple identities that they occupy in relation to their ethno-racial group, gender, and social class. Many using this approach also include additional characteristics such as sexual orientation and (dis)ability in their understanding of the intersections of identity
Which gender of black individuals are more likely to attend university?
Black females are more likely to attend university than black males
How does gender and family income interact with post-secondary attendance?
- White females are more likely to attend university than white males, no matter family income (but more are more likely to attend as income increases)
- In East Asia and South Asia, females are still more likely to attend but both are more likely when they are low income than white females and males
- In East Asia and South Asian family income does not have as much of an effect than it does for white people, partly since there are so many going at all income levels
How does having a disability and family income interact with post-secondary attendance?
- Social class is still an important aspect; higher income does allow for more children with special needs to attend university but it’s still very low compared to those without special needs
- Family income can offset special needs disadvantages (but not overcome them)
How does having a disability affect post-secondary attendance?
- Those with disabilities less likely to get a university degree, but they are more likely to attend the trades and college
- Graduates with disabilities are more likely to experience unemployment
When does deciding on post-secondary happen? Does it matter?
- Almost one half of students make their decision about whether to attend post-secondary education before they reached grade nine
- Late deciders are much more likely than early deciders to leave post-secondary education without graduating
What is credit inflation.
- Despite growing levels of educational attainment, little change in status differences in social structure
- Credential requirements keep rising to keep the same groups in power
- For example, cost of higher education, professional programs, qualifications required, etc.
How is credit inflation affecting underemployment.
- Problems of underemployment/overqualification have been relatively steady over last two decades (despite rising educational attainment)
- Growing percentage of Canadians with university degrees work in jobs for which the degree is not necessary
How does credit inflation affect gender inequalities?
- In STEM, 60% of men are employed properly to their degree, but only 30% of women are properly employed based on their degree
- In men dominated career, men are more likely to get a career at a significant higher rate than women, but in female dominated careers there is no disadvantages for men
- For women and men, humanities have the most overqualified workers and nursing has the least
→ when there’s a more direct career destination (ex. nursing) there is less chance of overqualification
Which group suffers the most from overqualification?
Canadian immigrants
→ in 2011, 34.8% of Canadian men immigrants are overqualified for their careers and 43% of Canadian women immigrants
How does Brown explain the problem with mobility?
- We have a finite amount of mobility (ex. we cannot all be socially mobile, someone needs to move down so I can move up)
- There’s an increased competition for mobility (through mass higher education)
- Labour market cannot absorb this “mass mobility”
What does Brown explain is the consequence of social congestion?
- Even more people compete for degrees, credentials, and good jobs
- The more people are highly qualified, the less these qualifications are worth
- The race to stand out gets tougher
- Mobilization of other resources become important
- As more people gain high formal credentials, other forms of “distinction” emerge; ex. work experience, volunteering, studying abroad, etc.
- There’s effects of social class on access to these experiences, the role of financial and social capital
How does the need for extra-credential affect students from low-income families?
- Financial resources (economic capital) - ex. people who have more money can volunteer in the summer rather than working
- Opportunities (cultural capital) - ex. some can’t afford abroad experiences
- Networks (social capital) - ex. parents don’t all have the same connections to allow their children to get better jobs
What is social closure?
The rising level of educational requirements in the labour market is a form of social closure
ex. judges and lawyers are important status groups since they have high status, and they are involved in making the law - thus their status group can remain exclusive
- to become a lawyer you need: first degree, LSAT, a strong resume with extra-curriculars, a degree from a law school, articling, completing the bar exam, being hired, …
How is this evidence of social closure?
- Long and very expensive education (economic capital and cultural capital)
- Access to law firms for internships or articling (social capital, economic capital)
- Networks to get a job in a law firm when done (social capital)
All these require financial resources, networks and connections, which are not equally distributed.
