Adolescence is a critical period in which peer relationships strongly influence identity formation, educational aspirations, and life trajectories. While previous research has emphasized the impact of family background and individual factors on students’ academic choices, recent sociological studies highlight the central role of social networks in shaping these decisions. This study...
This study investigates the role of social networks in southern Italian students’ decision to relocate to central and northern Italy for higher education. Indeed, student mobility in Italy is predominantly a unidirectional phenomenon, taking place almost exclusively from the South to the Center and the North, further exacerbating existing regional inequalities. While the academic literature...
Previous research across multiple disciplines has documented the positive nexus between good peer relationships in the classroom and learning. Robust social networks create inclusive learning environments, enhance academic performance of more fragile students, build children’s confidence, and foster resilience in young learners. In this study, we examine how structural position in classroom’...
The present contribution investigates how informal peer networks within high schools shape students’ soft skills, a dimension increasingly recognized as essential for educational attainment and labor market integration. Drawing on a novel whole-network survey of final-year students sample across 28 high schools in the Campania region of Southern Italy, we explore the role of multiple types of...
