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  3. Journal of Economic Literature
  4. December 2002
  5. Identity and Schooling: Some Lessons for the Economics of Education

Identity and Schooling: Some Lessons for the Economics of Education

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Abstract

This review culls noneconomic literature on education--by sociologists, anthropologists, and practitioners to present a new economic theory of students and schools. This theory elaborates two themes that have eluded economic analysis. First is the student as decision-maker whose primary motivation is her identity. Second is a conception of the school as a social institution. This framework suggests a new perspective on questions such as resource allocation and school reform. It explains why some educational policies succeed and others fail. We show how sociological variables may affect outcomes, and suggest ways economists can incorporate them into theoretical and empirical research.

Citation

Akerlof, George, A., and Rachel E. Kranton. 2002. "Identity and Schooling: Some Lessons for the Economics of Education ." Journal of Economic Literature, 40 (4): 1167-1201. DOI: 10.1257/002205102762203585

JEL Classification

  • I21 Analysis of Education