Gender Differences in Aspirations and Attainment

What is the role of parents, peers and teachers in shaping school experiences and informing the career choice of males and females? Does the school context matter, and to what extent do educational experiences influence young people's self-concept, values and their outlook to the future? Do teenage aspirations influence later outcomes regarding educational attainment and the assumption of work and family related roles? These questions and more are addressed in the chapters of this book, following lives over time and in context. The book is both innovative and timely, moving the discussion of gender inequalities forward, providing a dynamic and contextualized account of the way gendered lives evolve. Chapters address the role of institutional structures and the wider socio-historical context in helping young men and women to realize their ambitions. A unique feature is the longitudinal perspective, examining the role of multiple interlinked influences on individual life planning and attainment.

Ingrid Schoon is Professor of Human Development and Social Policy in the Institute of Education, University of London. Jacquelynne S. Eccles is McKeachie/Pintrich Distinguished University Professor in the School of Education, University of Michigan.

"This book establishes a landmark in the study of changing gender differences over the life course and their determinants. It is a fascinating and very informative collection of analyses into why and how the gender gap in education is reversing. The book offers new theoretical perspectives and a rich set of empirical information on developments in different life phases helping us to understand the new trends in gender inequality." Hans-Peter Blossfeld, European University Institute, Italy