Quantitative Methods in the
Social Sciences 2
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THEORIES, HYPOTHESES AND EMPIRICAL DATA ANALYSIS
8 - 11 December, Nijmegen
Organisers
Peer Scheepers and Peter Schmidt
Introduction
The building of theory-based empirical models is still a major challenge of cross-nation research. At the individual level (micro data) there is a wide range of theories that were subjected to empirical tests using a variety of data. In the past years, there was an explosion of datasets in a wide range of countries (ESS, ISSP, EVS, WVS, Share). It is now possible to relate individual data to (national or regional) context variables and to explore and test theories on the relationships between higher level (meso, macro) characteristics to lower micro or individual level characteristics in the social sciences. This kind of research is often verbally promoted but examples of impressive research in which variables at different levels are both theoretically and empirical combined, are rare. The seminar aims to find the mechanism that may be used in order to arrive at theoretically funded testable hypotheses using complex cross-nation datasets.
It is evident that the organization of a seminar on “bridging the gap” can only proceed within the context of substantial research problems. For this purpose, a number of themes were selected on which fundamental cross-national research has been done that has already set high international standards.
Goals of the meeting
- to provide knowledge and insights as to how excellent researchers have structured macro-theories and micro-theories on different societal phenomena within the framework of comparative research
- to provide knowledge and insights as to how these researchers have bridged the gap between theories and hypotheses, respectively between hypotheses and (already available) data
- to provide insights as to how these researchers have dealt with methodological choices and options to bridge these gaps
- to provide insights into the choices, challenges and limitations of comparative research and hence stimulate critical focus on the possibilities of this kind of research.
PROGRAMME
Monday 8 December:
Arrival of participants
Tuesday 9 December:
9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
Irena Kogan: Integration of Immigrants in cross-national perspective,
Chair: Peer Scheepers
- Paper 1 - Crossnational Patterns and Processes of Ethnic Disadvantage, Anthony Heath
- Paper 2 - Labor Markets and Economic Incorporation among Recent Immigrants in Europe, Irena Kogan
- Paper 3 - Self-Employment of Immigrants: A Cross-National Study of 17 Western Societies, Frank van Tubergen
Tuesday 9 December:
from 13.30 p.m. to 17.00 p.m.
Marcel Lubbers: Exclusion of Immigrants: voting for far-right parties in Europe,
Chair: Peer Scheepers
- Paper 1 - Extreme right-wing voting in Western Europe, Marcel Lubbers, Mérove Guisberts and Peer Scheepers
- Paper 2 - Euro-scepticism and extreme voting patterns in Europe, Marcel Lubbers and Peer Scheepers
Wednesday 10 December:
from 9 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
Yossi Shavit: Stratification in higher education, cross-national comparisons,
Chair: Peter Schmidt
- Paper 1 - More Inclusion Than Diversion, Richard Arum, Adam Gamoran, Yossi Shavit
- Paper 2 - Shavit, Y. Yaish, M. and Bar-Haim, E. (2007), 'The Persistence of Persistent Inequality,' in Stefani Scherer, Reinhard Pollak, Gunnar Otte and Markus Gangl (eds.), From Origin to Destination. Trends and Mechanisms in Social Stratification Research, Frankfurt a. M. and New York: Campus.
Wednesday 10 December:
from 13.30 p.m. to 17.00 p.m.
Maarten Wolbers: Education and labour market participation in comparative perspective
Chair: Peter Schmidt
- Paper 1 - Job mismatches and their labour-market effects among school-leavers in Europe, Maarten HJ Lubbers
- Paper 2 - Patterns of Labour Market Entry, Maarten HJ Wolbers
Thursday 11 December:
Participants return home