| title: | Education-based Meritocracy? Public Opinion on Social Mobility Opportunities in Estonia |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF6891 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
5.3. Sociology |
| status: | accepted |
| institution: | Tallinna Ülikooli Rahvusvaheliste ja Sotsiaaluuringute Instituut |
| head of project: | Jelena Helemäe |
| duration: | 01.01.2006 - 31.12.2008 |
| description: | The main goal of the research is to study the general public’s justice norms and justice beliefs on Estonian mobility regime. Research grant would support the carrying on the survey (1000 interviews); analyses of its data as well as data of Social Survey, 2004 (Estonian Statistical Office), also overview of sociological literature and newspapers. Proposed project is considered to be extension of current ESF project 5952 “Social Justice in Estonian Society: changing perspectives of new generations?”. Focus of proposed project would be on perceived opportunities for social mobility as well as legitimation of social mobility regime in Estonia. To draw conclusions on the Estonian general public’s opinion on social mobility regime in terms of education-based meritocracy, we would follow the logic of the hypothesis of increasing merit-selection, thus, explore value notions towards two distinct processes – those of (a) the distribution of educational opportunities and (b) selection into social position on the bases of education (formal qualifications). Our main hypothesis is: by the second part of 2000.ties, given stabilization of the institutional rules of new stratification order and possibility of their perception as “normal” and “given”, the Estonian public’s justice beliefs are expected to be developed according to Western status attribution principle - perception of “what is” tend to be transformed into judgements on “what should be”. We suggest support for meritocracy in Estonia to depend on the negative experiences of 1990.ties brought about by new stratification system, by downward mobility. It is why analysis of Social Survey mobility data would be important contribution into success of project. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Jelena Helemäe | Tallinna Ülikooli Rahvusvaheliste ja Sotsiaaluuringute Instituut | ||
| 2. | Kadri Täht | |||
| 3. | Marge Unt | |||