Social Origins and Field of Study

Francesco Scervini and Laura Volponi

No 1623, GLO Discussion Paper Series from Global Labor Organization (GLO)

Abstract: Horizontal gender segregation in education negatively impacts both equity and efficiency in the labor market, contributing to disparities in career opportunities and economic outcomes. This paper examines the influence of social origins on gender segregation in Italian tertiary education over recent decades. Utilizing high-quality data on individuals born between 1941 and 1995, we find that parental education significantly shapes offspring's field of study choices. Specifically, higher parental education increases the likelihood of students making nontraditional field choices - girls selecting traditionally maledominated fields, such as STEM, and boys opting for traditionally female-dominated fields. This effect is primarily driven by girls entering male-dominated fields. The results remain robust across various field classifications and model specifications, highlighting the enduring role of family background in shaping educational and occupational outcomes. These findings align with previous research conducted in other countries.

Keywords: Higher education; Fields of study; Gender inequality; Equality of opportunities; Intergenerational inequality (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I23 I24 J16 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:glodps:1623

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