Segmentation in HE - a frequently overlooked form of the reproduction of inequality

Gaber, Slavko (author), Tašner, Veronika (author)

The last decades have witnessed important rise of the enrolment in tertiary education. With it bigger shares of age cohorts enrolled, absolute number and relative shares of students from lower social strata, ethnic minorities and women grew. In line with the above mentioned process one is in the position to conclude that educational inequalities are diminishing. They are still there yet they are less and less present. We are claiming that we are facing few conflicting, contradicting processes: a) on the one hand – while enrolment is growing – number of better educated citizens is growing b) on the other hand the relative value in terms of validation of the degree reached at the market of cultural capitals is diminishing and we are experiencing new and/or additionally emphasised divisions inside the same levels of degrees. For understanding of these divisions concept of social capital as factor facilitating/supporting actualization of the cultural capital acquired is important. Yet there is another element of significan conceptual importance: segmentation (socially horizontal and vertical). Segmentation (Bourdieu-Passeron; Ringer) as important factor and sign of the reproduction of social and ethnic inequality is in our understanding frequently missing element of the conceptualisation in empirical research an policy making. We will support our claim for social inequality with empirical evidence for Slovenia.

• Language: English
• Keywords: higher education, educational opportunities, social inequality
• Typology: 1.08 - Published Scientific Conference Contribution
• Organization: PEF - Faculty of Education
• Year: 2010
• Number of pages: Str. 22-27
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-17483
• UDC: 378
• COBISS.SI-ID: 8634697
• Publication date in RUL: 11.07.2014

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: visokošolsko izobraževanje, možnosti izobraževanja, socialna neenakost