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Educational Attainment, Formation And Transitions Of The American Middle Class: Theoretical And Empirical Analysis

Posted on:2010-05-08Degree:MasterType:Thesis
Country:ChinaCandidate:J XuFull Text:PDF
GTID:2167360275993923Subject:Comparative Education
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The aim of this thesis is to explore the relationship among educational attainment, and the formation and transitions of American middle class. This thesis attempts to answer the question of how education affects the process of middle class status attainment, especially for the working class and lower-middle class. This thesis borrows from the theories of human capital, cultural capital, social capital, as well as social stratification and mobility. With these theories providing the conceptual framework of this study, the first chapter of this thesis is devoted to the study of how these capitals influence educational attainment and future individual status is analyzed.In the second chapter, this thesis reviews the history of the American middle class from the late nineteenth century and as well as discussing topics of contemporary interest. From this historical perspective, we can see the close relationship between education and the formation of the American middle class. In the third chapter, based on classical empirical research and analysis, this thesis identifies socioeconomic status, social, human and cultural capital as significant contributors to student educational attainment and future income, implicating the existence of cultural and social reproduction in American society. However, taking gender, social movements, market economic influences as well as individual drive and ability into account, the social reproduction model emerges as an imperfect predictor of educational outcomes. In conclusion, this thesis explores the path of middle class status attainment and emphasizes the importance of education, providing suggestions to the emerging Chinese middle-class in China.
Keywords/Search Tags:American middle class, Education Attainment, Human Capital, Social Capital, Cultural Capital, Social Mobility
PDF Full Text Request
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