Beyond poverty escapes – social mobility in the Global South: A survey article

Vegard Iversen, Anirudh Krishna and Kunal Sen

Abstract

While social mobility in advanced economies has received extensive scholarly attention, crucial knowledge gaps remain about patterns and drivers of social mobility in the Global South. Addressing intergenerational income, educational and occupational mobility, we presently lack in-depth understanding of the multiple hurdles to more pronounced progress, which go beyond poverty escapes, and are captured by what we describe as moderate and large ascents. Similar knowledge gaps exist for large descents, which raise additional concerns in low income settings. Innovative research requires critical engagement with theory and with methodology and data challenges that deviate notably from those encountered in Western contexts.

 

Keywords

Inequality, intergenerational mobility, moderate and large ascents, downward mobility, methodological challenges 

 

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