Social mobility is the shift, change or movement from one social position or status to another. This can be movement of individuals, families, households, or other categories of people within or between layers or tiers in an open system of social stratification. Open stratification systems are those in which at least some value is given to achieved status characteristics in a society, with both downward or upward direction potentials.
Types of Mobility
- Movement up or down the social hierarchy is called vertical social mobility.
- Movement between two equally ranked social positions is called horizontal mobility.
- Intra-Generational mobility (within a generation) is defined as change in social status over a single lifetime.
- Inter-Generational mobility means that one generation changes its social status in contrast to preceding generation.
- Absolute mobility measures whether and by how much living standards in a society have increased, often measured by what percentage of people have higher incomes than their parents.
- Relative mobility refers to how likely children are to move from their parents' place in the social hierarchy.
- Occupational mobility means to change from one occupation to another, with social mobility affected as a result.
Factors of Social Mobility
There are many factors which facilitate social mobility, including but not necessarily limited to the following:
Motivation
Individuals have a desire to not only experience a better way of living, but also wants to improve social standing. In an open system it is possible to achieve any status, motivating people to work hard and improve upon the skills so that they can attain higher social status. Without motivation and effort on the part of the individual social mobility is impossible.
Achievement & Failure
Achievement attracts the attention of a wider public to the abilities of a person, though not all achievements may result in upward social mobility. Achievements only affect status if they are significant. Failures have a similar effect, but on downward mobility.
Education
Education not only helps an individual to acquire knowledge, but is also a key factor in occupational position. It is only after receiving the minimum formal education that an individual can aspire to occupy higher positions. In the modern industrial society, education is basic requirement for statuse to be achieved.
Skills and Training
Society makes provision to teach skills and training to the younger generation. The reason for which being that society gives incentives as a result. For example, when training is completed, access to progression is enabled to higher positions (and therefore economic reward) which are considered better than those positions which are attainable without need for development. Skills and training make for upwards social mobility potentials.
Migration
People migrate from one place to another as one location may not have the opportunities and facilities for development and improvement. For example, one may move from rural country to the city where there are more opportunities.
While these factors may enhance social mobility potentials, classism and prejudice against the lower-strata demographic can make it difficult for these people to achieve upward mobility.
APPG Report on Social Mobility
In January 2017, the All-Party Parliamentary Group published their report 'The Class Ceiling: Increasing Access to the Leading Professions' on Social Mobility.
This report summarised the APPG’s inquiry on access into leading professions, which explored how to increase access to professions such as law by people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
- A strategic approach to social mobility should be developed.
- Financial barriers to accessing the professions should be minimised.
- Recruitment practices should be fair and transparent.
- Careers advice for young people needs to be significantly improved.
- Encouragement should be given to people to develop skills that are keenly sought after by employers.
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