Description
Book SynopsisA comprehensive examination of social mobility and education in Britain that exposes the prevailing misconception in political and policy circles of social mobility in decline. For students, researchers, policymakers, and anyone interested in the issues surrounding social inequality, social mobility and education.
Trade Review'Bukodi and Goldthorpe quantify the key inequalities of the last thirty years. A person born into Britain's top class is twenty times more likely than a person born into the lower class to find a top-class job in adulthood. That was true in the 1970s and is still true today. Many will be surprised to learn that galloping income inequality did not tilt the odds further in favor of the privileged, nor could expanding education bring them closer to even. Bukodi and Goldthorpe argue persuasively that simple generalities about schooling will not make Britain more equal. Their last chapter discusses why policy must be much more disruptive if Britain is to become more socially mobile.' Michael Hout, Director of Center for Advanced Social Science Research, New York University
'The authors draw together results of a body of intergenerational research applying latest methods to extensive evidence, mainly from the British birth cohort studies, women as well as men. These insights are badly needed in view of the confusion about social mobility in the political sphere. The authors explain how relative class mobility is not 'going down', is not 'worse' than many other countries, and may be hindered rather than helped by education policies. They also point out that social fluidity is limited politically by parents' rights to pass on their position in an unequal structure.' Heather Joshi, University of London
Table of ContentsIntroduction; 1. Social class as the context of social mobility; 2. Class mobility in absolute terms: the end of the Golden Age; 3. Class mobility in relative terms: resistance to change; 4. The pattern of social fluidity within the class structure: hierarchy, inheritance and status effects; 5. Education and social mobility: the OED triangle; 6. Social origins, ability and educational attainment: is there a wastage of talent?; 7. Education and the labour market: is education now class destiny?; 8. Origins versus education: are there 'glass floors' and 'glass ceilings'?; 9. Lifelong learning: compensation or cumulative advantage?; 10. Social mobility in Britain in comparative perspective: is Britain a low mobility society?; Conclusions.
