Hardback
A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality
This is an open access title available under the terms of a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 License. It is free to read, download and share on Elgaronline.com.
Skills and inequality have long been a central theme in analyses of social structure and economic development. A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality offers an insightful cross-disciplinary framework for research on how unequal living conditions form, persist and change in interplay with human skill formation and development.
Skills and inequality have long been a central theme in analyses of social structure and economic development. A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality offers an insightful cross-disciplinary framework for research on how unequal living conditions form, persist and change in interplay with human skill formation and development.
More Information
Critical Acclaim
Contributors
Contents
More Information
Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary.
Skills and inequality have long been a central theme in analyses of social structure and economic development. A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality offers an insightful cross-disciplinary framework for research on how unequal living conditions form, persist and change in interplay with human skill formation and development.
Drawing on prominent new advances in the field, this incisive Research Agenda builds a forward-thinking framework for research. Spanning an extensive eighteen chapters, each examining a specific but major aspect of the general theme of skills and inequality, the book provides a comprehensive overview of links between the two. Against the backdrop of established insights from related but separate fields of inquiry, including economics, sociology, demography, human resource management, political science, philosophy and psychology, the Research Agenda presents an exciting overview of recent advances in analyses of skills and inequality.
Opening vistas for future research based on extensive literature reviews and new findings, this Research Agenda offers compact, ground-breaking essays for students, policy makers, and advanced researchers in many disciplines including social policy, business management, and employment relations.
Skills and inequality have long been a central theme in analyses of social structure and economic development. A Research Agenda for Skills and Inequality offers an insightful cross-disciplinary framework for research on how unequal living conditions form, persist and change in interplay with human skill formation and development.
Drawing on prominent new advances in the field, this incisive Research Agenda builds a forward-thinking framework for research. Spanning an extensive eighteen chapters, each examining a specific but major aspect of the general theme of skills and inequality, the book provides a comprehensive overview of links between the two. Against the backdrop of established insights from related but separate fields of inquiry, including economics, sociology, demography, human resource management, political science, philosophy and psychology, the Research Agenda presents an exciting overview of recent advances in analyses of skills and inequality.
Opening vistas for future research based on extensive literature reviews and new findings, this Research Agenda offers compact, ground-breaking essays for students, policy makers, and advanced researchers in many disciplines including social policy, business management, and employment relations.
Critical Acclaim
‘In the quest to better understand the changing economic, technological, political, and educational circumstances of skills and inequalities, this volume offers much to consider. The book successfully brings together multiple perspectives and authors from various fields to expand the reader’s knowledge and thinking about the topic and, more broadly, about systems of education and employment. Those with backgrounds in economics, education, public policy, and sociology will not only find familiar perspectives but will likely be presented with approaches to ideas they may not have considered.’
– Carrie Freie, Contemporary Sociology
‘I recommend Tahlin’s volume very highly. It would make a great addition to the shelves of established practitioners like me, but it would be almost essential reading for advanced students in social inequality, labor markets, and organizations.’
– Kevin T. Leicht, Journal of Economic Inequality
‘While the concept of skill is central to explanations of inequality, disciplinary boundaries have hampered a full understanding of this relationship. This timely volume fills the gap by bringing together insights from experts in diverse disciplines that together provide the basis for an exciting research framework on this vital topic.’
– Arne L. Kalleberg, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US
‘If you want to understand how differences in skills and power jointly create social inequality, this is the book for you. Leading international scholars present the new synthesis on how education, skills, jobs and earnings are linked.’
– Daniel Oesch, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
‘This book offers original, multidisciplinary insights on the conceptualisation of skill and robust empirical evidence on how skills are formed, developed, utilised, rewarded and maintained across countries with diverse institutional arrangements. It will enrich our understanding of skills and inequality for decades to come.’
– Ying Zhou, Surrey Business School, UK
– Carrie Freie, Contemporary Sociology
‘I recommend Tahlin’s volume very highly. It would make a great addition to the shelves of established practitioners like me, but it would be almost essential reading for advanced students in social inequality, labor markets, and organizations.’
– Kevin T. Leicht, Journal of Economic Inequality
‘While the concept of skill is central to explanations of inequality, disciplinary boundaries have hampered a full understanding of this relationship. This timely volume fills the gap by bringing together insights from experts in diverse disciplines that together provide the basis for an exciting research framework on this vital topic.’
– Arne L. Kalleberg, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, US
‘If you want to understand how differences in skills and power jointly create social inequality, this is the book for you. Leading international scholars present the new synthesis on how education, skills, jobs and earnings are linked.’
– Daniel Oesch, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
‘This book offers original, multidisciplinary insights on the conceptualisation of skill and robust empirical evidence on how skills are formed, developed, utilised, rewarded and maintained across countries with diverse institutional arrangements. It will enrich our understanding of skills and inequality for decades to come.’
– Ying Zhou, Surrey Business School, UK
Contributors
Contributors: Amanda Almstedt Valldor, Anton B. Andersson, Dustin Avent-Holt, Margarita Chudnovskaya, Paula England, George Farkas, Nancy Folbre, Duncan Gallie, Karin Halldén, Michael J. Handel, Jon Horgen Friberg, Christian Kjellström, Tomas Korpi, Mark Levels, Arvid Lindh, Charlotta Magnusson, Arnfinn H. Midtboen, Erik Nylander, Are Skeie Hermansen, Heike Solga, Edvin Syk, Michael Tåhlin, Donald Tomaskovic-Devey, Rolf van der Velden, Andrea Veltman, Irene Wennemo, Herman G. van de Werfhorst, Johan Westerman, Dirk Witteveen, Rebecca Ye
Contents
Contents:
1 Skills and inequality – Introduction and overview 1
Michael Tåhlin
2 Skills, class and gender 19
Charlotta Magnusson and Michael Tåhlin
3 Culture, skills, job tasks and inequality 37
George Farkas
4 Skills and structural change 51
Johan Westerman and Edvin Syk
5 Skills and occupational sex segregation in Europe 65
Amanda Almstedt Valldor and Karin Halldén
6 Skills and adult educational choice: Gender (in)
equality in a new form of Swedish vocational education 85
Margarita Chudnovskaya, Erik Nylander, and Rebecca Ye
7 Occupational skills and subjective social status 103
Anton B. Andersson and Arvid Lindh
8 Skill and job quality: Polarisation in a ‘liberal’ economy? 121
Duncan Gallie
9 Occupational skills, ethnic stratification, and labor
market assimilation across immigrant generations 145
Are Skeie Hermansen, Jon Horgen Friberg, and
Arnfinn H. Midtbøen
10 Can work protect against age-related decline
of cognitive skills?: An empirical test of the
use-it-or-lose-it hypothesis 161
Mark Levels and Rolf van der Velden
11 Reconceptualizing human capital 177
Paula England and Nancy Folbre
12 Parental education–occupation matching and
offspring earnings 195
Dirk Witteveen
13 Skill and power at work: A Relational Inequality
perspective 215
Dustin Avent-Holt and Donald Tomaskovic-Devey
14 The meaning of job-required education 231
Michael J. Handel
12 Skills and educational systems 255
Heike Solga and Herman G. van de Werfhorst
16 Skills and collective wage bargaining 271
Christian Kjellström and Irene Wennemo
17 Skills and macro-level economic inequality 287
Tomas Korpi, Michael Tåhlin and Johan Westerman
18 Skilled work and ethics: How can we expand
opportunities for meaningful work? 303
Andrea Veltman
Index 317
1 Skills and inequality – Introduction and overview 1
Michael Tåhlin
2 Skills, class and gender 19
Charlotta Magnusson and Michael Tåhlin
3 Culture, skills, job tasks and inequality 37
George Farkas
4 Skills and structural change 51
Johan Westerman and Edvin Syk
5 Skills and occupational sex segregation in Europe 65
Amanda Almstedt Valldor and Karin Halldén
6 Skills and adult educational choice: Gender (in)
equality in a new form of Swedish vocational education 85
Margarita Chudnovskaya, Erik Nylander, and Rebecca Ye
7 Occupational skills and subjective social status 103
Anton B. Andersson and Arvid Lindh
8 Skill and job quality: Polarisation in a ‘liberal’ economy? 121
Duncan Gallie
9 Occupational skills, ethnic stratification, and labor
market assimilation across immigrant generations 145
Are Skeie Hermansen, Jon Horgen Friberg, and
Arnfinn H. Midtbøen
10 Can work protect against age-related decline
of cognitive skills?: An empirical test of the
use-it-or-lose-it hypothesis 161
Mark Levels and Rolf van der Velden
11 Reconceptualizing human capital 177
Paula England and Nancy Folbre
12 Parental education–occupation matching and
offspring earnings 195
Dirk Witteveen
13 Skill and power at work: A Relational Inequality
perspective 215
Dustin Avent-Holt and Donald Tomaskovic-Devey
14 The meaning of job-required education 231
Michael J. Handel
12 Skills and educational systems 255
Heike Solga and Herman G. van de Werfhorst
16 Skills and collective wage bargaining 271
Christian Kjellström and Irene Wennemo
17 Skills and macro-level economic inequality 287
Tomas Korpi, Michael Tåhlin and Johan Westerman
18 Skilled work and ethics: How can we expand
opportunities for meaningful work? 303
Andrea Veltman
Index 317
