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Mark Levels

T +31 43 388 36 19
F +31 43 388 49 14
E m.levels@maastrichtuniversity.nl

 

Mark Levels (1977) is a Post-doctoral Researcher at the Research Centre for Education and the Labor Market (ROA) of Maastricht University. He studied sociology at the Radboud University Nijmegen and, as a visiting student, at the European University Institute in Fiesole, Italy. He graduated cum laude in sociology in 2006, with a minor in research methods and techniques (MSc, Radboud University Nijmegen). He conducted research for his PhD in Social Sciences (expected December 7, 2011) at the Interuniversity Centre for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS) in Nijmegen and at Nuffield College of the University of Oxford, England. Before coming to ROA, Mark served as assistant professor at the Sociology Department of Radboud University Nijmegen.
Mark’s broad research interests include the extent to which government institutions in liberal democracies can utilize laws, policies and institutional arrangements to effectively influence individuals’ behavior, actions and decision-making in such a way that various societal problems can be prevented or solved. His dissertation focused on explaining the extent to which laws can affect fertility-related decision-making. At ROA, he works on a project that studies the extent to which governments can best design their countries’ educational systems to ensure that school leavers and graduates meet the requirements of the labor markets in which they seek to participate.  

Recent publications

Mark Levels, Ariana Need, Rense Nieuwenhuis, Roderick Sluiter & Wout Ultee (2010). Unintended Pregnancy and Induced Abortion in the Netherlands 1954-2002. European Sociological Review, doi: 10.1093/esr/jcq065. Forthcoming.

Mark Levels,  Jaap Dronkers & Gerbert Kraaykamp (2008). Immigrant Children’s Educational Achievement in Western Countries: Origin, Destination, and Community Effects on Mathematical Performance. American Sociological Review, 73(5): 835-853.

Mark Levels & Jaap Dronkers (2008). Educational performance of native and immigrant children from various countries of origin. Ethnic and Racial Studies, 31(8): 1404-1425.

Jaap Dronkers & Mark Levels (2007). Do School Segregation and School Resources Explain Region of Origin Differences in the Math Achievement of Immigrant Students? Educational Research Evaluation, 13,  435-462.

Books and edited volumes

Mark Levels (2011). Abortion laws in Europe between 1960 and 2010. Legislative developments and their consequences for women's reproductive decision-making. Nijmegen: ICS Dissertation.

Gerbert Kraaykamp, Mark Levels & Ariana Need (eds.) (2011). Problemen en Theorieën in Onderzoek: Een staalkaart van de Nederlandse hedendaagse empirisch-theoretische sociologie. Assen: Koninklijke Van Gorcum.

Dutch publications

Mark Levels & Rense Nieuwenhuis, Groei van kennis en stagnatie in de empirisch-theoretische sociologie: Een onkiese beschouwing. In: G. Kraaykamp, M. Levels & A. Need (eds.) (2011) Problemen en Theorieën in Onderzoek: Een staalkaart van de Nederlandse hedendaagse empirisch-theoretische sociologie. Assen: Koninklijke Van Gorcum, pp. 15-32.

Ariana Need, Wout Ultee, Mark Levels & Marike van Tienen (2008). Meningen over abortus in West Europa, 1981-2000. Mens & Maatschappij, 83(1): 5-22.

Mark Levels, Gerbert Kraaykamp & Jaap Dronkers (2008). Leesvaardigheid van allochtone leerlingen in Westerse landen. Een vergelijkende studie met macrohypothesen. Migrantenstudies, 24(2): 94–112.

Mark Levels, Jaap Dronkers & Gerbert Kraaykamp. Het belang van herkomst en bestemming voor de schoolprestaties van immigranten. Een crossnationale vergelijking. In: F. Van Tubergen & I. Maas (red.) (2006) Allochtonen in Nederland in internationaal  perspectief. Amsterdam: Amsterdam University Press, pp. 137-159.

Mark Levels & Jaap Dronkers. Verschillen in wiskundekennis in hoog ontwikkelde landen van Europa, Australië en Nieuw-Zeeland tussen eerste en tweede generatie migrantenleerlingen uit verschillende herkomstregio’s en autochtone leerlingen.  In: S. Waslander & R. Bosman (red.) (2006) Over kansen, competenties en cohesie. Assen: Van Gorcum, pp. 53-76.

Jaap Dronkers & Mark Levels. Migranten en schoolsegregatie in hoogontwikkelde landen. In: S. Karsten & P. Sleegers (red.) (2005), Onderwijs en ongelijkheid: grenzen aan de maakbaarheid. Antwerpen/Apeldoorn: Garant, pp. 23-52.