Why does merit-based elite recruitment exist under authoritarianism, notwithstanding its adverse impact on elites' private interests? In my dissertation, I develop an argument that centers on the role of upward mobility in authoritarian regime dynamics. I argue that merit-based elite recruitment provides individuals from non-elite background an opportunity to move into the ruling class by effort; it enhances their perception of upward mobility and thus reduces their discontent with the status quo. An authoritarian ruler, therefore, may deliberately adopt and institutionalize meritocracy in elite recruitment to engineer limited but sustained upward mobility, which co-opts large numbers of non-elites and helps stabilize the regime. Focusing on the case of China and its national civil service examination (NCSE), I draw on qualitative, quantitative, and experimental evidence to triangulate the complex dynamic between the CCP leadership, local officials, and ordinary citizens in merit-based elite recruitment. I employ two survey experiments to demonstrate that, by imposing institutional constraints on local officials, the CCP leadership can make its commitment to merit-based recruitment credible and enforceable. Analyzing data from two national representative surveys, I find that the institutionalization of NCSE forges a widespread and persistent perception of upward mobility among citizens eligible for the exam and weakens their pressure on the regime for income redistribution; it also strengthens public support for local government and contributes to the legitimacy of the CCP regime. These findings contribute to our understanding of the effects of meritocracy under authoritarianism and highlight the importance of upward mobility in relation to regime resilience.

There is a significant degree of controversy surrounding the transfer mission of community colleges. Specifically, many researchers have suggested that these institutions divert the educational attainments, and thus social mobility, of disadvantaged groups (Brint & Karabel, 1989; Dougherty, 1987, 1992, 1994; Karabel, 1972). Others suggest that community colleges provide disadvantaged individuals, who would have otherwise failed to consider a postsecondary education, with a viable path by which to attain a four-year degree (Cohen & Brawer, 1996; Hilmer, 1997; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). This study sought to determine whether the path to social mobility, via educational attainment, differed for bachelor's degree aspirants who commenced their postsecondary education at a community college, versus a four-year institution, in terms of enrollment outcomes three-years later (i.e., at a four-year institution, a selective or highly-selective four-year institution, and/or a privately-controlled four-year institution). Specifically, hierarchical logistic regression analyses were used to determine whether the effect of initial enrollment location on the odds of year-four enrollment outcomes depended on student characteristics (i.e., race/ethnicity, generational status, family income, prior academic achievements, and/or psychosocial factors) among a large representative sample of students who started their postsecondary education at either a community college or a four-year institution in the fall semester of 2003. Results suggest that student characteristics do not detrimentally modify the effect of initial community college enrollment on students' odds of later enrollment outcomes. In addition, the results suggest that after accounting for the effects of initial enrollment location and other predictors, the effect of standardized test scores appears to significantly increase the odds of being enrolled at a selective or highly selective four-year institution for students who initially matriculated to a community college rather than a four-year institution. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for consumers of higher education, vocational psychologists, as well as postsecondary institutions and educational policy.

Renaissance marriage is a much-studied subject, yet little attention has been given to the influence of marital practice on the civic affairs of confraternities. By considering the decisions of the Venetian Scuola dei Mercanti confraternity through the lens of Venetian marriage practice, I demonstrate how the Mercanti employed a multi-alignment advancement strategy in a manner similar to that employed by marriage partners seeking upward social mobility. Specifically, I argue that the Mercanti’s maneuvers were carried out for the purpose of transforming itself from a scuola piccolo to a scuola grande. Viewed from this perspective, the Mercanti’s artistic and architectural commissions appear as carefully executed maneuvers designed to elevate its social status. To demonstrate this thesis, I outline the Mercanti’s strategy of aligning with the neighboring Madonna dell’Orto church, the prominent architect Palladio and, especially, the older, established Scuola Grande della Misericordia.

Many scholars who study in social mobility have observed that the social status of the father does influence their children on how they will gain their social status in the future; however, it is the education those children receive that strongly influences their status in society. As the government proceeds with the policy of "Go South" and grants people the permission of visiting their relatives that dwell in Mainland China, an unrest wave of cross-border marriage was thus brought up. At the moment, it has been the time that the second generation of these cross- border marriages enters school and begins their compulsory education. According to several scholars' observation, these people who are cross- borderly engaged receive lower social status; therefore, the issue that whether their children would confront difficulties when they receive education has obviously become a fervent topic of public affairs. Accordingly, this study aims to investigate the children of the newly immigrant brides who have been in the elementary schools of Peng-hu County in the school year of 2003. In this research, the family background of the students is independent variable while the students¡¦ self-adaptation in elementary school is a dependent variable. How these variables influence one another are discussed in this study in order to figure out whether these children of newly immigrant brides confront any specific difficulties if they are facing problems in their learning at schools. Questionnaires were distributed for the empinical data, and the results were examined through descriptives, t-test,ANOVA and chi-square test, and after which, further inference and calculations were made. The findings of the study show as follow: 1. The school performance, learning attitude and the self-adaptation of the children of newly immigrant brides in Peng-hu County does not fall behind those of native children. This result differs to the general perceptions that the adaptation of these children from newly immigrant brides can not catch up with other native children. 2. The families of these newly immigrant brides in Peng-hu tend to be with low social and economical status. 3. The children whose mother come from Mainland China embrace better performance in language learning than native children, especially in learning ¡§Chinese spelling alphabets¡¨ and ¡§oral speaking competence.¡¨ However, no significant differences were found among these children in learning mathematics . 4. A mother¡¦s Mandarin ability influences her children¡¦s academic performance. 5. The writing ability of children of newly immigrant brides in Peng-hu County depends on the proportion between teacher and student at school. Suggestion: It is the first time we face the issue that the second generation of these cross- border marriages begin their education in school in Taiwan. If the survey could be directed and made by the Ministry of Education, different results come from differednt region study and different approaches could possibly be avoided, and the wrong decision making could also be prevented.

Between 1750 and 1850 the population of Sweden doubled. The increase was very unequally distributed among the different social groups of the rural population. The number of peasants grew very little, while the numbers of the landless (crofters, bordars etc.) more than quadrupled. This study examines whether Christer Winberg's thesis of the landless growth can be applied to Björklinge parish in Uppland. Winberg believes that it was mainly children of tenant farmers who became landless. Tax Farmers fell less often and less deeply. To be able to see any particular trends among tenant farmers, I also examine the social mobility of tax farmers. I have therefore chosen three villages with different tax-Axlunda and Gränby is of nobility nature while Hammarby is a village of a fiscal nature. The results show that the two tenant villages, Axlunda and Gränby had two different trends regarding social tenant farmers movement after 1821 onwards. The farmers in Axlunda experienced a strong downward social mobility, while the peasants in Gränby stayed on their farms to a greater extent. In Hammarby it differed significantly between the peasants. The farmers could both move up and down in the social hierarchy.

This study asserts that the everyday life, daily activities and mobility interaction remains peripheral within the Sociology of Childhood and Mobilities in particular and sociology in general. This is not to say that there are no sociological studies on child mobility. Instead, existing studies usually focus on the impact of child mobility on adult mobility, their daily lives and schedules with children’s voices, experiences and needs remaining obscure. This generates a passive, univocal, skewed and constrained portrayal and (re)presentation of the child. These unreflected habituations have particular implications for children’s inclusion, participation, and well-being in society; and are in conflict with contemporary and global shifts in childhood and mobility studies. This dissertation, then examines the conceptualisation and problematisation of child mobility in current studies, statistics, policies and interventions, with a particular focus on South Africa. This encompasses questions about the epistemological worldview and evidence-base supporting the various policies and practices. In terms of the reification and privileging of some paradigms, Max Weber’s analysis of ‘social action’, ‘social closure’ ‘domination’ and ‘monopolization’ is appropriated and redirected. Closure (exclusion) rests on the process of subordination, whereby dominant groups close opportunities to groups it categorises as inferior, or ineligible. Children’s subordinate roles in hierarchical structures in societies are derived based on, amongst other factors, culture, age, gender and generation. These codes are used to exclude or include individuals or groups. The utility of closure theory is in the theorising of adult roles; rationalisation of adult dominance; and the limiting of children’s agency and autonomy in institutions in societies. This includes adult roles in research and policy-making communities. This suggests that we need to reflect on, re-evaluate and reframe our approach to listening, talking, thinking and writing on, and about, children. The study asserts the relevancy of the pragmatic and critical constructivist lens in mediating the paradigmatic and epistemic shifts necessary for sociological (re)engagement and reframing of the discourses and debates on child mobility. The approaches are compatible with current developments in field (s) and are important to producing sociologically relevant knowledge on and about children. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

Thesis (M.A.)--Duquesne University, 2007. / Title from document title page. Abstract included in electronic submission form. Includes bibliographical references (p. 211-224).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of California, San Diego, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 1998. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [176]-187).

Thesis (M.S.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Epidemiology, 2008. / "Thesis committee: Drs. Claudia Holzman (chair), Ellen Velie, and Hwan Chung"--Acknowledgements. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 30, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 53-58). Also issued in print.