Educational and economic status differentials: a composition approach to social origin dimensions

In Italy, the benefits achieved by investment in education as human capital have not effectively reduced the influence of social origin, which continues to shape educational paths and outcomes, leading to inequalities in job access and income (Ballarino & Schadee, 2006; Ciarini & Giancola, 2016; Schizzerotto et al., 2018, Rizzi, 2023). The study analyses the link between socio-economic and cultural factors and educational attainment and analyses the cumulative effect of these variables on occupational outcomes among Italians aged 25 to 68. Employing Blau & Duncan's (1967) “OED” (Origin, Education, Destination) model, the analysis explores variations in social origin across these dimensions using Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) on European Social Survey data (2012, 2016, 2018, 2020). Results show how social origin influences educational achievement, affecting labour market access and relative income levels. Although education can reduce the impact of socio-economic background on job prospects, individuals’ social origins still exert a strong influence. This suggests that education reduces inequality, but it doesn’t entirely erase it.