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Graduates’ opium? Cultural values, religiosity and gender segregation by field of study

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  • Zuazu-Bermejo, Izaskun

Abstract

This paper studies the relationship between cultural values and gender distribution across fields of study in higher education. I compute national, field and subfield-level gender segregation indices for a panel dataset of 26 OECD countries for 1998-2012. This panel dataset expands the focus of previous macro-level research by exploiting data on gender segregation in specific subfields of study. I consider two focal cultural traits: gender equality and religiosity, and control for potential segregation factors, such as labour market and educational institutions, and aggregate-level gender disparities in math performance and beliefs among young people. The estimates fail to associate gender equality measures with gender segregation in higher education. Religiosity is significantly associated with lower gender segregation in higher education. However, gender gaps in math beliefs seem to be stronger predictors of national-level gender segregation. Field and subfield-level analyses reveal that religiosity is associated with less gender-segregated fields of education, science, and health, and specifically with the subfield of social services.

Suggested Citation

  • Zuazu-Bermejo, Izaskun, 2020. "Graduates’ opium? Cultural values, religiosity and gender segregation by field of study," OSF Preprints yn23j, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:osfxxx:yn23j
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/yn23j
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