Using newly collected and existing data and modern econometric approaches, this book analyses the gender wage gap as well as less explored dimensions of discrimination such as religion, sexual orientation, and physical appearance. Part One focuses on gender. Using a newly collected database for Italy, it analyses the relevance of transition from school to work, and in particular the choice of college major, in determining the gender earning gap. It also analyses therole of family and of discrimination on the job as a potential source of this gap, using additional data from Spain and the US. Part Two analyses different forms of discrimination towards individuals in the labor market. In particular, it examines the potential for discrimination of sexualorientation, religion, and physical appearance and weight. The analysis is conducted by means of a survey of the existing literature and by an empirical analysis, using European data as well as Italian data collected through an experimental design.

Tito Boeri: Introduction; Part I: The Wage Gap in the Transition from School to WorkGiovanni Peri, Luca Flabbi, Sara de La Rica, Massimo Anelli, Mauricio Tejada, and Ainara Gonzalez de San Roman: ; 1 The Gender Gap in Labor market Outcomes: Less Explored Aspects and Dimensions; 2 Gender Gaps in Wages and Employment: The Role of Employers' Prejudice; Appendix 2A: Data Sources and Definitions; Appendix 2B: The Formal Model; Appendix 2C: Complete Results; 3 Gender Gaps in Spain: The Role of Children in Career Development; 4 The Gender Gap in Italy: The Role of College-Majors; Appendix 4A: Description of the Data on Milanese High School Graduates; 5 More Unexplored Dimensions of the Gender Gap and College Choice: Attitudes, Choice of Partner, and Peer/Teacher Effects in School; References; Christopher Flinn: Comments; Daniel Hamermesh: Comments; Part II: Unexplored Dimensions of Discrimination in Europe: Religion, Homosexuality, and Physical AppearanceEleonora Patacchini, Giuseppe Ragusa, and Yves Zenou: ; 6 Discrimination and Labor-Market Outcomes: Theoretical Mechanisms and Existing Empirical Studies; 7 Exploratory Analysis for Europe: Religion and Physical Appearance; 8 Do Employers Discriminate Against Physical Appearance and Sexual Preferences? A Field Experiment; 9 Other Dimensions of Discrimination; Appendix 9A. Additional Figures and Tables; Appendix 9B: Labor-Market Policies; References; Alan Manning: Comments; Jan van Ours: Comments