This dissertation examines China’s market reforms over the last few decades, and their implications for (re)shaping socioeconomic inequalities in health. Specifically, I study the effect of marketization and related structural changes at community level on individual health outcomes. The first part of this dissertation revisits the market transition theory of Nee (1989), using individual health status as the outcome variable to assess Nee’s theory. Using multiple waves of a longitudinal survey from 1991 to 2006, I compare temporal changes in the role of human capital, political capital, and state policy in determining health under marketization. In partial support of the market transition theory, the empirical results show that the significance of human capital for health increases with marketization, while the return to political capital and one’s household registration status diminishes with a growing market. Additionally, I distinguish between marketization effects on community level, and different aspects of community context in shaping the SES-health link. I find that the level of urbanization and available resources within each community exert influences on self-rated health and change the relative importance of individual socioeconomic conditions in shaping health. Overall, this study provides new longitudinal evidence from China to support the notion that health is influenced by dynamic processes moderated by the structural changes as well as the social stratification system. I discuss the findings in the context of China’s market reform, fundamental causes theory, and socio-ecological perspectives, highlighting that health is determined by a nexus of life experiences and social environment that impact individuals at different levels. / 10000-01-01

Cette thèse interroge l'existence et la définition de « nouvelles migrations de travail » en Europe à partir de l'analyse comparée des jeunes migrants Polonais et Roumains au Royaume-Uni et en Espagne. En adoptant une approche comparative et historique, elle montre d’abord que c'est la conjonction entre un espace économique inégal et une intégration économique avancée d'une part ; et la transformation des inégalités intranationales vis-à-vis de l'emploi d'autre part, qui explique la diversité des propensions à migrer dans les différents pays européens. En se plaçant ensuite du côté des pays d'accueil, elle montre la persistance de la segmentation du marché du travail et la pertinence de l'utilisation de cadres d'analyse transnationaux et sectoriels pour mettre en évidence l'existence de marchés d'emplois locaux globalisés. L'étude analyse également le processus de ségrégation professionnelle des migrants, dont les ressources personnelles (et en particulier l'origine sociale) conditionnent fortement les opportunités de mobilité sociale. Enfin, en analysant l’interaction entre mobilité, insertion professionnelle et passage à l’âge adulte, elle montre que la mobilité peut devenir une forme de précarité sociale marquée par une incertitude temporelle et spatiale. Au final, l'étude démontre la nécessité de distinguer les pratiques de mobilité, qui se caractérisent par une diversification sociale, des usages sociaux distincts, classés et classants, dans un champ de l'international transformé par la libre-circulation ; et les migrations de travail comme fait social, caractérisées par de fortes régularités historiques. / This dissertation investigates the definition and the characterization of “new” labor migrations within Europe. Based on a comparative analysis of young Polish and Romanian migrants in the United-Kingdom and in Spain, it uses both statistical data and qualitative analysis of migrants’ interviews. The analysis of patterns of migration within the European space shows that the diversity of national profiles can be explained by the convergence of an integrated but unequal economic space on one hand, and the rise of new intranational inequalities regarding the labor market, on the other hand. The analysis based on the countries of destination (the United-Kingdom and Spain) shows that labor market segmentation is still prevailing. It suggests that the transnational and sector-based approach is necessary to fully explain and identify globalised labor markets. The analysis also investigates the social process of segmentation and its impact on migrants’ occupational mobility, or the lack thereof. It shows that chances of mobility depend mainly on individual resources reflecting the social origin of migrants. Finally, the analysis of the links between professional integration, entry into adulthood and mobility suggests that mobility is also a kind of uncertainty, both time-related and space-related. As a conclusion, the study reveals the necessity of distinguishing between mobility practices, characterized by a growing diversity and distinct social uses in the transformed international field of free mobility; and contemporary labor migrations as a social fact, which includes in part intra-european migrations.

Social stratification research has consistently found persistent inequalities in the academic outcomes of children from different socio-economic status (SES) groups. Research in the sociology of education has shown that students from higher SES groups outperform peers from lower SES groups on various academic indicators as well as make greater academic progress when assessed at two or more separate points in time. Recent evidence from the US has also shown that participation in leisure out-of-school activities (OSA) is among the factors which may contribute to maintaining or even widening these inequalities. Similar evidence is lacking in the UK. The present research focuses on this issue by analysing the role of participation in leisure OSA in the process of reproduction of social inequalities in academic outcomes among British school-aged children. The study draws on social and cultural capital theories to address the following questions: a) Are there differences in participation in OSA among school-aged children in dissimilar SES groups?; b) Taking into account children’s SES, is participation in OSA associated with their academic outcomes?; c) Does the association between participation in OSA and children’s academic outcomes vary across different SES groups? Using data from the third and fourth sweeps of the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS), when cohort members were aged 5 and 7 years old, the research explores participation in three categories of leisure activities; a) social-group activities, b) commercial-public activities, and c) home-centred activities. Children’s academic outcomes are assessed using verbal and non-verbal standardised tests, as well as by teachers’ assessment. The study applied regression models to examine the relationships between children’s SES, participation in OSA and academic outcomes. The statistical analyses were carried out in a multilevel framework which enabled the MCS hierarchical data structure and area variations to be accounted for. The findings suggest that participation in some, but not all leisure OSA is one of the factors which contributes to socio-economic inequalities in educational outcomes among British school-aged children. This is because participation in OSA is associated with better academic performance among all students, however those in high SES groups are more likely to be exposed to such activities. After controlling for SES, gender, family characteristics, school type, absenteeism and geographical variation, there is a small to moderate positive relationship between participation in a number of different leisure OSA and 7-year-olds' academic performance. Interestingly, variations among children from different SES groups were found in the extent to which attendance at certain OSA (e.g. after-school clubs) is associated with academic development between age 5 and 7: children from lower SES who attend such activities tend to progress more academically than children from intermediate and higher SES.

With a rapidly changing work environment due to increased migration and ease of travel, organisations today is challenged by a multicultural setting of individuals in employment. Additionally there is an increase in the number of highly educated employees working in the same teams as lesser educated individuals. The purpose of this paper is to research how the leadership is influenced by the cultural and educational diversity in a team. The study is a comparison study between two demographically similar teams in the same organisation. The difference between teams is that one team comprises of highly educated individuals classified under creative class based on Richard Florida's (2002) workforce classification. The other team comprises of individuals with lower education and are classified under service class. This research has found that the leadership is influenced in a different way when the level of education is included in the multicultural teams. Thus, besides culture, education also plays a big part in how the leadership is impacted.

The dissertation explores recent trends in educational assortative mating in Western countries. In particular, the rise of hypogamy is analyzed, focusing on its causes and consequences. The dissertation aims at providing new evidence on issues concerning the rise of hypogamy at the individual level. As for its causes, changes in the partner market composition are analyzed in a life course perspective as a possible driver of hypogamy, underlining the dynamic nature of its role during the partner search. Moreover, elements from the social psychology field such as the activation of behaviors to find a partner are analyzed. Finally, the dissertation studies how partner choice shapes processes of social reproduction, and in particular educational reproduction. A penalty for hypogamy is found among higher educated women, but it does not persist across generations. The dissertation provides two main contributions to the literature. First, it provides evidence of the relevance of adopting a life-course approach when looking at dynamics of union formation, and in particular hypogamy. Second, it provides evidence of the importance of partner choice for social reproduction processes, especially among women.

This study addresses the extent to which participation in the military affects subsequent status attainment and mobility in America. The purpose of this research was to conduct a comprehensive examination of existing empirical research resulting in a synthesis of findings and establishing a concise summary of the state of the literature on this topic. The study is limited to the examination of existing research on male veterans in the years between 1950 and the present. Findings from sixty-four articles and seven books are presented. The background characteristics of servicemen, the promotion and retention of servicemen, and the post-service earnings and education of servicemen, in the era of World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the All-Volunteer Force are discussed. When possible, comparisons are made between servicemen and their civilian counterparts, as well as between Anglos and African Americans. Findings indicate that men serving in the military prior to Vietnam were from somewhat higher socio-economic and educational backgrounds. The background characteristics of Anglo veterans of Vietnam and the AVF were homogenous to their civilian counterparts. Black veterans of the period from the war in Vietnam through the present have slightly higher levels of education and income prior to service as compared to their civilian counterparts. Research on promotion, retention, and military occupational assignments demonstrate that blacks are more likely to enlist and re-enlist than are Anglos. Promotions are currently achieved at approximately the same rate regardless of race. However, throughout the period examined, blacks are more likely to be trained in military occupational specialties considered to be less transferable to the civilian workforce. Findings on post-service attainment are limited to the examination of income, earnings, and education. Military service resulted in higher levels of income, earnings, and education for all veterans serving since 1950, with the notable exception of Anglo Vietnam veterans. In other words, as compared to their civilian counterparts, veterans had significantly higher incomes, earnings, and educational levels post-service. Explanations for the association between military service and social mobility, including fluctuations in enlistment standards and educational benefits during the period under investigation, are presented. / Ph. D.

蔡囯萱. / 論文(哲學碩士) -- 香港中文大學硏究院社會學學部, 1997. / 參考文獻: leaves 77-79. / 中英文摘要. / Cai Guoxuan. / 序言 --- p.2 / Chapter 第一章 --- 改革与国家行政权力分散化 ´ؤ´ؤ现阶段分层秩序变化的社会经济背景 --- p.10 / Chapter 第一节 --- 制度的变迁 --- p.11 / Chapter 第二节 --- 社会的分化 --- p.17 / Chapter 第三节 --- 国家主导市场的社会 --- p.22 / Chapter 第二章 --- 理论的回顾与研究的主题 / Chapter 第一节 --- 权力：社会主义社会分层的核心 --- p.29 / Chapter 第二节 --- 社会主义改革：权力支配类型分解 --- p.31 / Chapter 第三节 --- 过渡时期的分层秩序 --- p.37 / Chapter 第三章 --- 职业框架内的地位评价 / Chapter 第一节 --- 职业参数的选择 --- p.43 / Chapter 第二节 --- 职业的地位等级 --- p.47 / Chapter 第四章 --- 行业框架内的地位评价 / Chapter 第一节 --- 行业参数的选择 --- p.61 / Chapter 第二节 --- 行业的地位等级 --- p.64 / Chapter 第五章 --- 结束语 --- p.74 / Chapter 附： --- 参考文献 / 问卷 / 鸣谢

Zhang, Chunni. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-128). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

This study describes my experience 111 the research 1 conducted in two Harare secondary schools in which the interpretive ethnographic qualitative research methodology was used. The objective of the research was to assess the infuence of ability grouping on learners, given that ability grouping is a common practice in Zimbabwean schools. In particular, this study sought to find out how this practice affected classroom instruction, learner performance and the social relationship among learners. This study was conducted over three months at each of the schools, during which time formal interviews with teachers, administrators and learners, were conducted. These were complemented with informal conversations, where relevant comments were noted. Observation and limited participation in the two schools were also employed as means of collecting data. Analysis of documents was also done to supply more data about the practice and how it was implemented. As customary with qualitative research, I, as the researcher, was the instrument for data collection. Data were analysed by identifying themes which emerged from the statements of the respondents, and interpretation was done using the mechanism of thick description of what the respondents said and did during the interviews and observation, and what the documents had to say about this practice. I, as researcher, concluded from this study that ability grouping had a negative effect on classroom instruction for the low ability groups, since teachers tended not to prepare thoroughly for them. There was also a tendency among high ability groups to look down upon the low ability groups and to stigmatise them as "those who do not want to learn." Naturally this created a counter reaction from the low ability groups, making social relationships between members of the groups sour. l, as researcher, recommend a re-examination of this practice by the schools, with a view to either discontinue it or to work out mechanisms to remove the negative factors. / Educational Studies / D. Ed. (Didactics)

Educational transitions in the UK are related to social background characteristics such as social class and, to a lesser extent, ethnicity and gender. This thesis presents a case study of admission to the University of Oxford to understand why, conditional on application, admissions patterns into selective higher eduction in Britain show an advantage for already privileged strata of society. Specifically, net of attainment, the professional middle class, white, male and state school applicants fare particularly well in securing offers for undergraduate study at Oxford. With the exception of the state school effect, the admissions privilege advantages already privileged strata of society. In the first empirical section, the analysis of purposefully generated survey data on 1,929 applicants for admission to the University of Oxford finds that quantifiable measures of merit fail to fully explain differential admissions patterns. The logistic regression models also uncover that while applicants from the private sector initially have similar gross chances of gaining an offer to their state school educated peers, they actually face a penalty in the selection process when taking into account their higher levels of prior academic attainment. Furthermore, the analysis shows that while measures of cultural capital, motivation, aspiration and learning style are meaningfully related to selection decisions, they do not explain the lower transition rates for ethnic minority applicants, those from non-professional class backgrounds, female applicants and private school applicants. The second step in the empirical investigations then aims to understand the generative mechanisms behind these findings from the perspective of the decision makers in the selection process. This section draws on interviews with 25 admissions tutors and the observation of eight admissions meetings. The analysis here finds that selectors view the admissions exercise as involving risks and uncertainties. Also, many participating tutors routinely considered schooling in their selection decisions and discounted the performance of applicants who had come from very high achieving schools but who were not top achievers within this peer group. The mechanism of homo-social reproduction in decisions involving uncertainty is then put forward as a possible explanation for the unequal transition patterns. Finally, the third empirical analysis section investigates links between degree performance in final university examinations and admissions relevant factors. This section includes the degree performance of Oxford students as well as those who subsequently embarked on their degree course at universities other than Oxford. The most striking finding is that among the Oxford graduates, female and private school students are less likely to achieve first class degrees than their male and state school educated peers. One interpretation of this finding is that the discounting that selectors apply in the admissions process for these applicants is not only justified but may not even go far enough. But it is also possible, in particular with regard to the female effect, that the Oxford study environment or the examination system, or both are more conducive to male achievements. This thesis contributes to sociological theory by showing that existing models of educational transition have paid insufficient attention to the role of gatekeepers and their individual preferences in generating aggregate selection patterns. Incorporating selectors as actors in transition models increases our understanding of unequal access to educational institutions and the challenges faced in striving towards equal opportunities in an education based meritocracy. The findings presented here have implications for other fields of sociological inquiry that need to account for the role of individual decision makers such as labour market research. The work presented here has implications for policy making regarding selection processes within the University of Oxford and British higher education more generally. It could also aid university systems such as Germany, that are moving towards selective admission, to think about the challenges of designing truly equitable selection processes.