Description
Book SynopsisGeoff Payne considers a wide range of dimensions of mobility and life chances to assess the causes and consequences of mobility as social and political processes and challenges well-established opinions of politicians, pressure groups, the press, academics and the public.
Trade Review"Punctures the technocratic myth of UK academics and politicians working together, identifying instead a troubling disconnect between what’s known about mobility and what’s done in the name of increasing it. An object lesson in late-industrial policymaking." David G. Grusky, Stanford University
"A valuable navigation tool of thought for the exploration of mobility" - Sociological Research Online
"Every public figure protests they are all for social mobility - but few have any idea what it means. Here's the definitive analysis they need to read: equal opportunity means we must live more equal lives." Polly Toynbee, The Guardian
"A lively, intelligent, and well-informed discussion of the meaning, extent, and significance of social mobility in Britain. Written for both specialists and policymakers, it will be an essential source of reference for decades to come." John Scott, University of Essex
Table of ContentsIntroducing the Confusing World of Social Mobility; ‘There’s a Lot of it About’; Log Cabins and Field-Marshals’ Batons; The Political Re-discovery of Social Mobility; Documenting Mobility; Tracing the Origins; Why low, why now?; The Pessimism of Older Academic Mobility Analysis; The Emergence of a New Society; The New Mobility Regime; Misconceptions of Schooling and Meritocracy; Tightening Bonds and Professional Access; Moving On; References; Tables and Figures.
