Richard Breen

An introductory account of the concept of class stratification, of contemporary approaches to the study of class, and of current debates about its role in the study of society. Definitions and an analysis of different theoretical approaches to class are accompanied by empirical material which compares the class structures of a range of countries and examines social mobility in cross-national perspective.

What techniques can social scientists use when an outcome variable for a sample (for example, y) is not representative of the population for which generalized results are preferred? Author Richard Breen provides an introduction to regression models for such data, including censored, sample-selected, and truncated data. Regression Models begins with a discussion of the Tobit model and examines issues such as maximum likelihood estimation and the interpretation of parameters. The author next discusses the basic sample selection model and the truncated regression model. Elaborating on the modeling of censored and sample-selected data via maximum likelihood, he shows the close links between the models introduced and other regression models for non-continuous dependent variables, such as the ordered probit. Concluding with an exploration of some of the criticisms of these approaches and difficulties associated with them, this volume gives readers a guide to the practical utility of these models.

Thirty years ago the Irish State embarked on a programme of development which rapidly transformed the economy and with it Irish society. This book is about that transformation and its effects. In particular, it focuses on the relationship between the policies pursued by the State and the class structure of Ireland. It argues that, despite promises of general prosperity, the benefits of Ireland's economic development have been very unevenly distributed, leading to a growing polarisation between social classes.