The aim of this article is to identify the consequences of the stream followed in high school on the professional opportunities of baccalaureate holders at the beginning of their career. By combining the 1995 panel of secondary level pupils with the survey on entry into adult life, we are able to identify the effects that … Read more
Baccalaureate Tracks and Employment at the End of Education: Contribution of the Educational Pathway and Analysis of Gender Gaps
The role of parenthood on the gender gap among top earners
This research uses Norwegian registry data to study the effect of parenthood on the careers of high-achieving women. It finds the child earnings penalty is substantially larger for mothers with an MBA or law degree than for mothers with a STEM or medical degree. In recent decades women have outnumbered men in higher education and … Read more
DIAL Policy Brief No. 8 ‘Working towards reducing income and wealth inequalities: What can policymakers learn from Dynamics of Inequality Across the Life-course (DIAL) research?’
There are a number of key European policy agendas related to income on which the DIAL research can shed light. This policy brief gives an overview of findings from DIAL projects in this area. Key Findings A widening gap between those with ‘advantaged’ and ‘disadvantaged’ employment and family trajectories has led to increased wealth inequality … Read more
DIAL Policy Brief No. 6 ‘Improving wellbeing among older people: What can policymakers learn from Dynamics of Inequality Across the Life-course (DIAL) research?’
There are a number of key European policy agendas related to older people on which the DIAL research can shed light. This policy brief gives an overview of findings from DIAL projects in this area. Key Findings Differences between countries in retirement ages are narrowing over time. Workers are increasingly encouraged to work up to … Read more
Long-term labor market returns to upper secondary school track choice: Leveraging idiosyncratic variation in peers’ choices
This study looks at the possible benefits and disadvantages of choosing a vocational rather than an academic track in upper secondary education. While supporters of vocational education and training (VET) say it can provide a safety net for those at risk of dropping out of education or failing to enter the labour market, critics say … Read more
Reallocation effects of the minimum wage
We investigate the wage, employment, and reallocation effects of the introduction of a nationwide minimum wage in Germany that affected 15% of all employees. Based on identification designs that exploit variation in exposure across individuals and local areas, we find that the minimum wage raised wages but did not lower employment. It also led to … Read more
Uncovering social stratification: Intersectional inequalities in work and family life courses by gender and race
This paper looks at the different privileges and constraints that men and women face as they juggle the demands of jobs and careers with having a family. Using data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth (NLSY79), the researchers examine the gender and race inequalities facing people in the United States and show that, in … Read more
Understanding the effects of Covid-19 through a life course lens
The Covid-19 pandemic is shaking fundamental assumptions about the human life course in societies around the world. In this essay, we draw on our collective expertise to illustrate how a life course perspective can make critical contributions to understanding the pandemic’s effects on individuals, families, and populations. We explore the pandemic’s implications for the organization … Read more
Like parents, like children. Does the stratification of education systems moderate the direct effect of origins on destinations?
Using data from the European Social Survey, this study asks if selective education systems can moderate the effects of our origins on later success in the labor market while controlling for education. It finds no effect, regardless of the extent to which selection is based on the student’s abilities. The sample consists of nearly 40,000 … Read more
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Lives and Retirement Timing of Older Nurses in Ireland
This article draws on interviews with 16 female and nine male older nurses in Ireland in 2021 and asks what effect the pandemic has had on their working conditions and retirement intentions. It finds that while some responded positively to the pandemic, some experienced adverse health impacts, stress and exhaustion and many of the women … Read more