Positional Competition and Social Inequality in Graduate Careers

This book examines how social inequalities in higher education shape the positional competition in graduate labour markets.

Featuring research from Europe, North America, and China, the book provides new insights into graduate careers by examining how graduates from various backgrounds navigate their labour market trajectories in different national contexts. Based on in-depth case studies, it demonstrates how the opportunities for graduates in the labour market do not solely depend on individual skills, experience, and abilities, but on how other graduates act within the labour market and the different forms of capital they possess. This book delineates the social, cultural, and educational conditions through which positional competition becomes meaningful to employers and graduates. It explains why employers value and seek out university graduates when hiring and demonstrates how the value of educational credentials interacts with graduates’ gender, ethnicity, and social class positions. Furthermore, it addresses how regional inequalities influence graduates’ employment opportunities.

This book is essential for university students and scholars, policymakers, and anyone interested in the recruitment of graduates. It was originally published as a special issue of the Journal of Education and Work.