Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle

We start from a general theory of intergenerational class mobility previously proposed as an alternative to the ‘liberal’ theory. In further evaluating these theories, we report empirical analyses of relations within the origins-education-destinations (OED) triangle, drawing on data for individuals...

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Hauptverfasser: Goldthorpe, J, Bukodi, E
Format: Journal article
Sprache:English
Veröffentlicht: Oxford University Press 2024
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author Goldthorpe, J
Bukodi, E
author_facet Goldthorpe, J
Bukodi, E
author_sort Goldthorpe, J
collection OXFORD
description We start from a general theory of intergenerational class mobility previously proposed as an alternative to the ‘liberal’ theory. In further evaluating these theories, we report empirical analyses of relations within the origins-education-destinations (OED) triangle, drawing on data for individuals born 1923-77 in 17 European societies. In contrast with earlier research, we treat education in relative terms. We find that the tendency for fluidity to increase within class structures after WW2, rather than being the expression of a ‘worldwide secular trend’, was restricted to a distinctive historical period of rapid economic growth and class structural change. Further, in accounting for this increasing fluidity, the role of education may easily be exaggerated. The weakening of the ‘direct’ OD association is of at least comparable importance to changes in the OE and ED associations. Consistently with the proposed theory, class structural change, insofar as it promotes greater upward mobility, would also appear to provide a favourable context for increasing fluidity. Where downward mobility increases, the growing motivation and the capacity of more advantaged parents to protect their children against déclassement constitutes a powerful source of resistance to change in endogenous mobility regimes.
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spelling oxford-uuid:bea04daa-f4e3-4472-9dfd-0e6c95f713f02025-01-10T08:35:21ZUnderstanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangleJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:bea04daa-f4e3-4472-9dfd-0e6c95f713f0EnglishSymplectic ElementsOxford University Press2024Goldthorpe, JBukodi, EWe start from a general theory of intergenerational class mobility previously proposed as an alternative to the ‘liberal’ theory. In further evaluating these theories, we report empirical analyses of relations within the origins-education-destinations (OED) triangle, drawing on data for individuals born 1923-77 in 17 European societies. In contrast with earlier research, we treat education in relative terms. We find that the tendency for fluidity to increase within class structures after WW2, rather than being the expression of a ‘worldwide secular trend’, was restricted to a distinctive historical period of rapid economic growth and class structural change. Further, in accounting for this increasing fluidity, the role of education may easily be exaggerated. The weakening of the ‘direct’ OD association is of at least comparable importance to changes in the OE and ED associations. Consistently with the proposed theory, class structural change, insofar as it promotes greater upward mobility, would also appear to provide a favourable context for increasing fluidity. Where downward mobility increases, the growing motivation and the capacity of more advantaged parents to protect their children against déclassement constitutes a powerful source of resistance to change in endogenous mobility regimes.
spellingShingle Goldthorpe, J
Bukodi, E
Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle
title Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle
title_full Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle
title_fullStr Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle
title_full_unstemmed Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle
title_short Understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe: class structural change and the OED triangle
title_sort understanding trends in social fluidity in western europe class structural change and the oed triangle
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