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Girls and science in France

In: Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 11

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  • Christelle Garrouste

    (University of Paris 12)

Abstract

Despite an increasing number of girls taking science subjects in high school, many countries suffer a problem of attraction and retention of girls in science majors in college, combined with a problem of transition to the labour market. This paper aims at testing the validity of the assumption of such a progressive "leaking pipeline" effect on the French case. Using the French Labour Force Survey of 2011, we find that, after controlling for the influence of the family background, the French gender gap in science is not due to a progressive leak. Instead, it is mainly due to a filter at the entrance level into the science pipeline. No major gender difference is identified during the course of studies at university nor during the transition to the labour market. This result points at a problem of attractiveness of science majors for girls at the school level. We find that the scientific nature of the profession of the mother plays a more significant role in the choice of her children’s major and occupation than that of the father, which confirms the importance of including mother’s occupation in analyses of children’s choices. Hence, as the number of scientific women will increase, the number of pupils of both genders choosing science subjects and majors will also increase.

Suggested Citation

  • Christelle Garrouste, 2016. "Girls and science in France," Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación volume 11, in: José Manuel Cordero Ferrera & Rosa Simancas Rodríguez (ed.), Investigaciones de Economía de la Educación 11, edition 1, volume 11, chapter 41, pages 733-752, Asociación de Economía de la Educación.
    • Handle: RePEc:aec:ieed11:11-41
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender; Science; Employability.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion

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