Short presentation

I am Professor of Sociology at the University of Copenhagen.

My research revolves around intergenerational mobility, social inequality, and applied microeconometrics. I have published papers on these topics in leading peer-reviewed journals such as American Socologiocal Review, American Journal of Sociology, and Social Forces.

I am a member of the Danish Royal Academy of Sciences and Letters, The Independent Research Fund Denmark, and received the EliteForsk award in 2020.  I am also a member of the Department's research group on Welfare, Inequality and Mobility.

Current Research

My current research focuses on intergenerational transmissions and how parent-child transmissions of endowments and resources affect overall social inequality. For example, I have used data on monozygotic (or "identical") twins to analyze if the extent to which mothers read to children affect children's academic performance. I have recently completed a Starting Grant funded by the European Research Council which addressed these topics (title: "Understanding Intergenerational Transmissions: A Cross-Disciplinary approach"). In ongoing research projects I analyze the link between family background and cultural consumption and preferences (funded by the Velux Foundations), learning environments in Danish families (funded the AP Møllerske Støttefond), and the dynamics of inequalities across the life course (funded by NORFACE).

I have a personal website at http://www.madsjaeger.dk/which provides more information on CV, publications, and ongoing research.

Some of my publications:

Breinholt, Asta, and Mads Meier Jæger. 2020. “Cultural Capital, Teacher Bias, and Educational Performance.” British Journal of Sociology 71: 28-46

Jæger, Mads Meier. 2019. “Hello Beautiful? The Effect of Interviewer Physical Attractiveness on Cooperation Rates and Survey Responses.” Sociological Methods and Research, 48(1):156-184

Jæger, Mads Meier and Richard Breen. 2016. “A Dynamic Model of Cultural Reproduction.” American Journal of Sociology, 121(4): 1079-1115.

Jæger, Mads Meier. 2012. “The Extended Family and Children’s Educational Success.” American Sociological Review, 77(6): 903-922

Jæger, Mads Meier. 2011. “Does Cultural Capital Really Affect Academic Achievement? New Evidence from Combined Sibling and Panel Data.” Sociology of Education 84(4): 281-298

Jæger, Mads Meier. 2011. "'A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever': Returns to Physical Attractiveness over the Life Course." Social Forces, 89(3): 983-1003

Primary fields of research

My primary areas of research include social stratification and mobility, applied microeconometrics, and public opinion.

CV

Detailed CV at www.madsjaeger.dk

Education:

Current position:

Professor of Sociology at the Department of Sociology, University of Copenhagen (since May 2016).

Previous positions: