TY - JOUR
T1 - Access to post-compulsory education and training: economic, sociological and political determinants and remaining research gaps
AU - Souto-Otero, Manuel
PY - 2007/11
Y1 - 2007/11
N2 - This paper presents a review and assessment of existing theoretical accounts to explain differentials in access to education and training in advanced economies. These theories tend to focus on the analysis of the influence of a set of economic, sociological and political variables on access to education. Existing theories are criticized on two grounds. Firstly, they seldom take into consideration the crucial role of political-institutional factors, and in particular, welfare states' actions through direct investment and regulation in shaping access levels. Secondly, they focus narrowly on the analysis of different stages of education and training, and this does not reflect the current policy emphasis on lifelong learning. The paper concludes with an outline of a future research agenda to address these gaps, and also calls for a more rigorous analysis of the weight of the different factors affecting access.
AB - This paper presents a review and assessment of existing theoretical accounts to explain differentials in access to education and training in advanced economies. These theories tend to focus on the analysis of the influence of a set of economic, sociological and political variables on access to education. Existing theories are criticized on two grounds. Firstly, they seldom take into consideration the crucial role of political-institutional factors, and in particular, welfare states' actions through direct investment and regulation in shaping access levels. Secondly, they focus narrowly on the analysis of different stages of education and training, and this does not reflect the current policy emphasis on lifelong learning. The paper concludes with an outline of a future research agenda to address these gaps, and also calls for a more rigorous analysis of the weight of the different factors affecting access.
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03050060701611961
U2 - 10.1080/03050060701611961
DO - 10.1080/03050060701611961
M3 - Article
SN - 0305-0068
VL - 43
SP - 571
EP - 586
JO - Comparative Education
JF - Comparative Education
IS - 4
ER -