Tag "inequality"

Contrary to established theory, globalisation has increased, rather than reduced, inequality in emerging economies. To solve this problem, more opportunities should be created enabling people to acquire new skills. Nobel Prize laureate and Professor at Harvard, Eric S. Maskin, who is also Chief Research Fellow at the International Centre of Decision Choice and Analysis of the HSE Faculty of Economic Sciences and Honorary Professor at HSE University, shared his insights on the topic.

Educational inequality is a universal problem, but it manifests itself in different countries in different ways. Comparing the issue across different contexts is always interesting—even more so if the person doing the comparing has a diverse set of examples to draw upon. Adam Gemar earned his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in the US before earning his Doctoral degree at Durham University (UK). Now he is a Postdoctoral Fellow at HSE University’s Institute of Education, where he is studying educational inequality in Russia with the Centre for Cultural Sociology. In his interview, he spoke about his research, life in Moscow, and Russian winters.

Russia is one of the world's top countries in terms of wealth concentration in the hands of the richest few: more than 70% of the country's financial and non-financial assets are owned by 5% of its citizens. At the HSE's 20th April International Conference in Moscow, Svetlana Mareeva and Ekaterina Slobodenyuk presented their findings from a study of inequalities in Russia in the global context. 

While income and wealth disparities define Russia as a country of deep inequalities, other indicators such as access to education and life expectancy improve its negative image. Back to the paper by Svetlana Mareeva and Ekaterina Slobodenyuk presented at the HSE's 20th April International Conference, this time focusing on Russia's position in global statistics on (in)equality of opportunity.

It is possible to enrol at a Russian university without sitting the Unified State Exam (USE) via a 'hybrid' vocational track originally created to encourage upward mobility of disadvantaged social groups. According to the authors of Slipping Past the Test: Heterogeneous Effects of Social Education in the Context of Inconsistent Selection Mechanisms in Higher Education, this pathway to university is also frequently used as a strategic option by students from upper-class families. These individuals constitute almost 40% of those entering university via a vocational track.

Martin Carnoy, Academic Supervisor of HSE International Laboratory for Education Policy Analysis, will be presenting his report entitled 'Studying inequality in education: big data and small data approaches ' at the XVIII April International Academic Conference this week.