Education, Democracy and Inequality (eBook)

Preface 7
Acknowledgements 9
Contents 10
List of Figures 12
List of Tables 14
1: Introduction 16
Why This Book and Why Now? 16
What’s New in This Book? 20
Who Will Be Interested in Reading This Book? 24
Structure of the Book 25
References 26
2: Learning Political Engagement 29
Education Levels are Simply a Measure for Social Class 31
The Positional Thesis: Education Only has an Indirect Effect 34
Theories of Learning Political Engagement 35
Participatory Learning Theories 37
How Can Schools Facilitate the Learning of Political Engagement? 44
An Open Climate of Classroom Discussion 44
Political Activities in the School 45
Citizenship Education 45
Political Engagement 47
Conclusions 51
References 52
3: Access to Forms of Political Learning 58
Education, Social Reproduction and the Labour Market 59
Socialisation in the Family 60
Access to Learning in Schools 63
Young People’s Agency 67
Voluntary and Compulsory Political Learning 69
Access 69
Differential Learning Effects for Different Social Groups 72
Education, the Labour Market and Political Engagement 73
Conclusion 74
References 75
4: Social Gaps in the Forms of Learning and Political Engagement: 11–16-Year-Olds in England 81
Social Gaps in Political Engagement: Access to Learning Opportunities and Differential Effects 82
Access to Learning Political Engagement at School 86
Mitigation Effects 86
Data 86
Measures of Political Engagement 87
Key Independent Variables 89
Methods 92
Access 92
Mitigating Effects 93
Results 94
Access 94
Mitigating Effects 98
Discussion and Conclusion 101
References 106
5: England in a Comparative Light: Lower Secondary 110
Data and Measures 112
Data Source 112
Measures 112
Political Engagement Outcomes 112
Learning Opportunities 114
Socioeconomic Status and Other Control Variables 116
Part I. England Compared to Other European States 117
Selected Countries 117
Levels of Political Engagement 120
The Link Between Learning Opportunities and Political Engagement 125
Social Inequalities in Learning Opportunities and Political Participation 127
Learning Opportunities: Can They Compensate for Social Disadvantage? 132
Part II. Comprehensive Versus Early Selection Systems 137
The Argument About Early Selection and Inequalities in Political Engagement 137
Early Selection and Inequalities of Political Engagement: What Do the Data Say? 138
A Closer Look at the Early Selection States 144
Conclusion 158
Appendix: ICCS Items Used in the Analyses 162
References 165
6: Learning Political Engagement in Further and Higher Education in England 169
Three Perspectives on the Impact of Educational Pathways on Political Engagement 172
Assessing the Effect of Education 173
Education Pathways in England 174
Data Source, Measures and Methods of Analysis 176
Data Source 176
Measures 176
Dependent Variables 176
Independent Variables 178
Control Variables 179
Method of Analysis 180
Results: Effects of Pathways in Secondary Education 180
Descriptive Statistics 180
The Effect of Education Pathway on Political Engagement for Upper Secondary Education 181
Voting 181
Peaceful Protest 183
Violent Protest 187
Political Party 189
Results: Higher Education 19–23 190
Descriptive Statistics 190
The Effect of HE Education Pathway on Political Engagement Among Young Adults 192
Discussion 192
Social Reproduction of Levels of Political Engagement 194
Explanations 195
References 196
7: The Influence of Post-16 Education on Political Engagement: England Compared to Other States 200
England in a Comparative Light: The Effect of Track on Political Engagement in Upper Secondary 202
The Effect of Higher and Adult Education on Political Engagement 205
Data and Measures 209
Results 212
Social Gaps in Participation Among 14-year-olds and Young Adults 212
System Characteristics and Inequality of Engagement 216
Conclusion 220
References 221
8: Conclusions and Implications for Policy and Practice 225
Implications for Policy and Practice 234
References 238
Correction to: Education, Democracy and Inequality 240
Author Index 241
Subject Index 246