Social Stratification

Paul Lambert, University of Stirling, UK, Roxanne Connelly, University of Stirling, UK, Robert M. Blackburn, University of Cambridge, UK and Vernon Gayle, University of Stirling, UK

'The contributions in this book demonstrate the vibrancy and diversity of contemporary social stratification research. Ranging from chapters concerned with measuring social stratification to studies of lifecourse stratification processes, demographic and institutional effects, and political and policy responses, the contributors show an engaging willingness to question dominant approaches, propose new ways forward, and take evidence and argument seriously. There is also a welcome focus on countries less studied, including Central and Eastern Europe and South and Southeast Asia. The book reaffirms the relevance and the excitement of stratification research for understanding and explaining structures and dynamics in contemporary societies.' Mark Western, University of Queensland, Australia 'This book provides key contributions to the field of quantitative social stratification research and offers conceptual, analytical and practical insights - as well as a wealth of new empirical analyses - on the comparative effects and longitudinal patterns of social stratification across a range of contexts... This book contains several detailed analyses of specialist areas, which will undoubtedly make a substantial contribution to the field of social stratification research... On the whole, the book straddles a careful line between extolling the virtues of quantitative social stratification research and cautioning against extrapolating grand theoretical claims from statistical stories... a useful reference for quantitative widening participation researchers interested in learning about the latest social stratification research. It also provides an important reminder of the limitations and problems of empirical research, as well as highlighting some popular and policy (mis)interpretations.' Widening Participation Lifelong Learning

• 1: Introduction; I: Measuring Social Stratification; 2: Stratification Research and Occupation-Based Social Classifications; 3: Measures and Dimensions of Occupational Stratification: The Case of a Relational Scale for Italy; 4: A Relational Occupational Scale for Russia; II: Social Stratification Over the Life Course; 5: Cumulative Inequalities Along the Life Course: Long-Term Trends in the German Labour Market; 6: Family Background and the Life Cycle Effects of Father's Class and Income; 7: Social Stratification and Cognitive Ability: An Assessment of the Influence of Childhood Ability Test Scores and Family Background on Occupational Position Across the Lifespan; 8: Intergenerational and Intragenerational Social Mobility in Britain; III: Demographic, Institutional and Socio-economic Changes; 9: Ethnicity and Skilled Work in the United States; 10: Occupation and Pay Across the Generations: The Labour Market Experience of Four Ethno-Religious Groups in Britain; 11: The Labour Market Earnings of Minority Ethnic Groups in Great Britain and the USA (1990–2000); 12: The Relationship Between Social Stratification and First Birth in Scotland; 13: Stratification, Work and Early Parenthood; 14: Labour Market Returns to Tertiary Education in Post-Socialist Countries; IV: Political and Policy Responses to Stratification; 15: Labouring Under a Misapprehension: Politicians' Perceptions and the Realities of Structural Social Mobility in Britain, 1995–2010; 16: Security or Equality? The Difficult Reform of the Italian Welfare State; 17: Gender Inequality, Modernisation and Development in South and Southeast Asia