Occupational Inheritance and Occupational Choices: Medicine, Teaching and Other Careers Fiona Devine, University of Manchester, UK

Introduction Class Analysis Class Analysis * The debate on changing levels of analysis * The debate on changing levels of analysis * Disaggregation and issues of gender * Disaggregation and issues of gender The Study The Study * Comparative UK/US study of middle-class reproduction * Comparative UK/US study of middle-class reproduction * British doctors and teachers * British doctors and teachers The Paper * Class theory and empirical research * Class theory and empirical research * Medics and teachers and their children * Medics and teachers and their children

Class reproduction and levels of analysis Gruskys contribution to the class debate Gruskys contribution to the class debate - challenging long-standing methodological conventions Gruskys call for disaggregation Gruskys call for disaggregation -class reproduction at the level of occupations and occupational inheritance Goldthorpes critique of Grusky Goldthorpes critique of Grusky - neglect of macro issues, study of class structures and patterns and trends in social mobility Goldthorpes acknowledgement Goldthorpes acknowledgement - complement to conventional class analysis and potential insights into class reproduction

Class reproduction and levels of analysis The virtues of methodological pluralism The virtues of methodological pluralism - exploring cultural dimensions of classes and occupations - link to the sociology of professions and social closure - desirability of occupations and bringing status back in - linking class and family processes following Cromptons lead What about issues of gender? What about issues of gender? - Gender segregation of labour market - Gendered nature of desirability of occupations

Researching class and occupational reproduction Draw on comparative UK/US study of class middle-class reproduction (Devine 2004, 2008) Draw on comparative UK/US study of class middle-class reproduction (Devine 2004, 2008) Focus on British doctors and teachers and their childre as examples of male and female professions Focus on British doctors and teachers and their childre as examples of male and female professions Tracing the background of British medics and their families: occupational inheritance and beyond Tracing the background of British medics and their families: occupational inheritance and beyond Exploration of occupational inheritance, occupational choices and the desirability of occupations from parents to children Exploration of occupational inheritance, occupational choices and the desirability of occupations from parents to children

Table 1.1 The Sample of British and American Interviewees IntervieweesNumber of Children IntervieweesNumber of Children British Doctors 12 British Doctors 12 British Partners 1233 British Partners 1233 British Teachers 12 British Teachers 12 British Partners 928 British Partners 928 American Physicians 12 American Physicians 12 American Partners 927 American Partners 927 American Educators 12 American Educators 12 American Partners 828 American Partners 828 Total Total

Medicine and other careers The education of medics children: overwhelmingly private and single sex The education of medics children: overwhelmingly private and single sex Occupational inheritance and sons: talking about the intrinsic rewards of medicine Occupational inheritance and sons: talking about the intrinsic rewards of medicine Occupational inheritance and daughter(s): the pride of following in footsteps Occupational inheritance and daughter(s): the pride of following in footsteps Accountancy, law and management: the other `good top jobs: high incomes and good prospects Accountancy, law and management: the other `good top jobs: high incomes and good prospects

Medicine and other careers Daughters and teaching careers: for the less academically inclined? Daughters and teaching careers: for the less academically inclined? To push or not push medicine?: Creating the conditions for aspiring medics (sons) To push or not push medicine?: Creating the conditions for aspiring medics (sons) To push or not push medicine?: Creating the conditions for aspiring medics (daughters) To push or not push medicine?: Creating the conditions for aspiring medics (daughters) Young aspirations for medicine: expressions of interest at an early age! Young aspirations for medicine: expressions of interest at an early age! A good profession for sons and daughters: medicine as a well paid occupation with gendered advantages A good profession for sons and daughters: medicine as a well paid occupation with gendered advantages

Teaching and other careers The education of teachers children: examples of private/state, single sex/mixed The education of teachers children: examples of private/state, single sex/mixed Ambivalent occupational inheritance: the low pay and long hours of teaching Ambivalent occupational inheritance: the low pay and long hours of teaching Medicine and law again! promoted by school for high-achieving girls Medicine and law again! promoted by school for high-achieving girls Other professional careers: accountancy as another favourite once again Other professional careers: accountancy as another favourite once again

Teaching and other careers Young men: the less academically inclined still spurn teaching Young men: the less academically inclined still spurn teaching Changing aspirations for daughters: teaching is not inevitable and many other options are available Changing aspirations for daughters: teaching is not inevitable and many other options are available Careers in the hospitality industry where good pay and promotion prospects are to be found Careers in the hospitality industry where good pay and promotion prospects are to be found Media careers: wide array of options in camera work, production and so forth for young men Media careers: wide array of options in camera work, production and so forth for young men Modern Apprenticeships and careers: the importance of life-long learning in the pursuit of promotion and better pay Modern Apprenticeships and careers: the importance of life-long learning in the pursuit of promotion and better pay

Conclusion There are many virtues to disaggregation for explaining class reproduction Reminds us of issues of occupational inheritance, choices and the desirability of occupations The gendered dimensions of these issues is crucial for understanding gender inequalities too