How institutional context alters social reproduction dynamics: Ethnic track placement patterns in the U.S. and Germany

How does institutional context shape the way family dynamics, especially ethnic background and parental resources, affect track placement? We contrast the track placement patterns of immigrants and ethnic majority students in two countries marked by drastic differences in the social organization of schooling. Drawing on German (GSOEP) and U.S. (NELS) data, we find that, in general, more family resources pull students from lower to higher tracks, but ethnic inequalities in these resources favor the ethnic majority groups in both countries. In addition, institutional context conditions which parental resources shape educational outcomes, and how they do so. We find that the effects of parental ties exacerbate ethnic inequalities between whites and Latinos in the U.S.; whereas in Germany, parents’ community ties play a compensatory role for immigrants, who benefit from interactions with secular and ethno-religious groups. Our findings confirm previous cross-national research, but they also highlight the need to elaborate the relationship between institutional context and ethnically specific reproduction mechanisms within countries.     

Daily rhythm of salivary IL-1ß, cortisol and melatonin in day and night workers

Shiftwork-induced sleep deprivation and circadian disruption probably leads to an increase in the production of cytokines and dysregulation of innate immune system, respectively. This project aims evaluating changes in salivary IL-1 beta, cortisol, and melatonin in night workers. Method. Two day and three night healthy workers participated in this study. Sleep was evaluated by actimetry and activity protocols. Saliva was collected at waking and bedtime the last workday and the following two days-off and was analyzed by ELISA. Results. Neither sleep duration nor efficiency showed any association with salivary IL-1beta. IL-1beta levels were higher at waking than at bedtime during working days for all workers, but only one day and one night-worker maintained this pattern and hormone rhythms during days off. For this night worker, melatonin levels were shifted to daytime. A second one presented clear alterations in IL-1beta and hormone rhythms on days-off. Conclusions. Our preliminary results suggest that night work can disturb the variation pattern of salivary IL-1beta. No association of this variation with sleep was observed. It seems that disruption in hormone rhythms interfere with salivary IL-1beta production. IL- 1beta production pattern seems to be maintained when rhythms are present, in spite of a shift in melatonin secretion.     

A Reexamination of Women’s Electoral Success in Open Seat Elections: The Conditioning Effect of Electoral Competition

This article reexamines gender differences in electoral outcomes. We consider whether electoral competition has a differential impact on the electoral fortunes of male and female quality candidates. This study uses an original data set containing detailed candidate information for US House open seat primary and general elections between 1994 and 2004. The results indicate that when multiple quality candidates enter the race, female quality candidates are at a greater disadvantage than their male counterparts. The results suggest that null findings from previous work are a product of the way the relationship between gender and electoral outcomes is typically modeled.     

Attitude towards gender norms in Ghana: understanding the dynamics among men and women in intimate relationships

Journal of Population Research - Despite the growing interest in issues relating to gender norms, few studies have targeted men and women in intimate relationships. Using the Gender Equitable Men...     

Ambient air pollution and children’s cognitive outcomes

Population and Environment - Ambient air pollution remains a serious public health concern, with growing literature linking higher concentrations to adverse health effects among children....     

Fertility effects of child benefits

We exploit the 1996 reform of the German child benefit program to identify the causal effect of heterogeneous child benefits on fertility. While generally the reform increased child benefits, the exact amount of the increase varied by household income and the number of children. We use these heterogeneities to identify their causal effects on fertility in a difference-in-difference setting. We apply the large samples of the German Mikrozensus and the rich data of the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP). The reform effects on low-income couples are not statistically significant. We find some support for positive fertility effects for higher as opposed to lower income couples deciding on a second birth.