Paradoxes of social mobility in London

Bibliographic Data

ID5614830
AuthorsR Breen (0000-0002-9718-0743, University of Oxford, corresponding author), J In (0000-0001-5439-6096, University of Copenhagen)
Year2023
Volume74
Issue5
Pages781-798
Publication date2023-12-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Sociology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-1315 • E-ISSN: 1468-4446
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1468-4446.13022
PMID37086444
OpenAlexW4366769013
LanguageEN
Citations received5
References cited51

We analyse social mobility in London and seek to address two paradoxes. Among people living in London, relative mobility, or social fluidity, appears to be remarkably low when compared with other regions of Great Britain. But social fluidity among people who were brought up in London is similar to that of people brought up elsewhere in Britain. This is our first paradox. Furthermore, it is widely held that social fluidity is higher among people with higher levels of education, yet, the proportion of people with a University degree is much higher among people living in London than in any other region: how is this compatible with its relatively low social fluidity? This is our second paradox. We address these puzzles and find that they are largely explained by patterns of migration into and out of London by two groups that have received little attention hitherto in studies of mobility in the capital: International migrants and people who were brought up in London but who no longer live there

Social mobility · Social science · Sociology · Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies · Social Policy and Reform Studies · Urban, Neighborhood, and Segregation Studies

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