Citizenship, math and gender: Exploring immigrant students' choice of majors

Marina Murat

No 1370, GLO Discussion Paper Series from Global Labor Organization (GLO)

Abstract: This paper investigates whether citizenship of immigrant students in the host country influences their choice of majors, and whether these effects differ by gender. Using detailed students' data from an Italian university, combined with characteristics of the countries of origin, I examine the effects of citizenship on enrolments in educational areas categorized by their mathematical content. Results indicate a decrease in the likelihood of enrolment in math-intensive fields among students who acquire citizenship, particularly among males, leading to a reduction in gender gaps. Moreover, gender gaps are smaller and show a more pronounced decrease with citizenship as gender inequality in countries increases. Results are corroborated by matching and instrumental variables strategies. These findings shed light on the existence of trade-offs between empowerment, as manifested through citizenship, and major choices.

Keywords: Citizenship; immigrants; higher education; math; gender gaps; gender inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 I24 I25 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-gen, nep-mig and nep-ure
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:glodps:1370

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