Educational Expansion and Inequality of Educational Opportunity: Perspective of Choice and Capital
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| Title: | Educational Expansion and Inequality of Educational Opportunity: Perspective of Choice and Capital |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Xi Chen (ORCID |
| Source: | European Journal of Education. 2026 61(2). |
| Availability: | Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 23 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Secondary Education Higher Education Postsecondary Education |
| Descriptors: | Educational Development, Equal Education, Educational Opportunities, Economic Factors, Cultural Capital, Secondary Education, Higher Education, Educational Indicators |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ejed.70671 |
| ISSN: | 0141-8211 1465-3435 |
| Abstract: | Since the introduction of the maximally maintained inequality (MMI) hypothesis, the effect of educational expansion on inequality of educational opportunity (IEO) has been widely debated, with empirical studies producing conflicting results. Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS), this study examines whether the effect of educational expansion is context-dependent by focusing on four macro-level indicators derived from the choice dimension (educational returns and costs) and the capital dimension (economic capital inequality and cultural capital inequality). The results show that, at the upper secondary level, the effect of educational expansion varies significantly across social contexts, with educational returns, economic capital inequality and cultural capital inequality exerting significant moderating effects. For higher education, educational expansion is overall associated with lower IEO, but this association does not vary significantly across the four macro-level indicators. This study provides empirical evidence explaining why the effects of educational expansion are context-dependent rather than unidirectional. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1506977 |
| Database: | ERIC |
| Abstract: | Since the introduction of the maximally maintained inequality (MMI) hypothesis, the effect of educational expansion on inequality of educational opportunity (IEO) has been widely debated, with empirical studies producing conflicting results. Using data from the European Social Survey (ESS), this study examines whether the effect of educational expansion is context-dependent by focusing on four macro-level indicators derived from the choice dimension (educational returns and costs) and the capital dimension (economic capital inequality and cultural capital inequality). The results show that, at the upper secondary level, the effect of educational expansion varies significantly across social contexts, with educational returns, economic capital inequality and cultural capital inequality exerting significant moderating effects. For higher education, educational expansion is overall associated with lower IEO, but this association does not vary significantly across the four macro-level indicators. This study provides empirical evidence explaining why the effects of educational expansion are context-dependent rather than unidirectional. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0141-8211 1465-3435 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/ejed.70671 |
