The Urban-Rural Divide in Education
Why are educational outcomes increasingly shaped by where students grow up? Educational inequalities between urban and rural areas have widened in many countries. But how much of this gap reflects differences in schools - and how much is driven by students' social environments?
Photo by Tom Rumble on Unsplash
Understanding growing geographic inequalities
This project investigates the growing urban-rural divide in Swedish education using register data covering all students since the late 1980s.
The researchers examine how peer composition influences educational outcomes across different regions and student groups. By comparing schools and cohorts over time, the project explores why educational opportunities have developed differently in urban and rural Sweden.
Supporting more equitable education policy
The findings contribute to a better understanding of regional educational inequality and the mechanisms that shape students' opportunities. The research can inform policies aimed at reducing geographic disparities and ensuring that where a student grows up does not determine their educational future.
Funding: Swedish Research Council for Health, Working Life and Welfare (FORTE)