Divergent historical experiences and inequality in academic achievement: the case of Poland

Abstract

Divergent histories and changing country boundaries can lead to substantial within country variation in economic and social structures and inequality in economic and social outcomes. Given its changing borders and turbulent history, Poland provides a fertile setting for an examination of the effects of social and economic structures. In this paper we investigate regional variation in academic achievement in Poland in order to gain a better understanding of the effects of local social and economic structures on educational outcomes. The results suggest that economic dislocation following the transformation and the absence of long-lasting social institutions as a result of population relocation have had longer term adverse effects on academic achievement.school achievement; regional differences; Poland