Dr Rob Gruijters, University of Bristol
Department of Sociology (42-43 Park End Street) or MS Teams
Please join either in person or online. For in-person attendees, the talk will be preceded by a light lunch at 12.15pm.
Please email comms@sociology.ox.ac.uk with any questions.
Abstract
Concerns about overeducation and credential inflation have been around since at least the 1970s, but the theory of credentialism has never been formalised or empirically tested. In this study, I provide a new conceptualisation of credentialism and test it using longitudinal labour force data from over 100 countries.
I show that in most countries, absolute occupational returns of university graduates have declined as access to higher education has increased, but relative returns (vis-a-vis high school graduates) increased. This explains why the demand for higher education continues to increase around the world, despite the diminished labour market prospects of university graduates: the alternative—not going to university after completing high school—is even worse, as university graduates crowd out non-graduates even in lower-skilled jobs. I discuss the implications of the findings for social mobility, labour markets, and education policy.
