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Where is the Land of Hope and Glory? The geography of intergenerational mobility in England and Wales

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  • Brian Bell
  • Jack Blundell
  • Stephen Machin

Abstract

We present a new analysis of intergenerational mobility across three cohorts in England and Wales using linked decennial census microdata, focusing on occupation, homeownership, and education. Four main results emerge. First, area‐level differences in upward occupational mobility are highly persistent over time. Second, measures of absolute and relative mobility tend to be spatially positively correlated. Third, there is a robust relationship between upward educational and upward occupational mobility. Last, there is a small negative relationship between upward homeownership mobility and upward occupational mobility, revealing that social mobility comparisons based on different outcomes can have different trends.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian Bell & Jack Blundell & Stephen Machin, 2023. "Where is the Land of Hope and Glory? The geography of intergenerational mobility in England and Wales," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 125(1), pages 73-106, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scandj:v:125:y:2023:i:1:p:73-106
    DOI: 10.1111/sjoe.12511
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    Cited by:

    1. Bertha Rohenkohl, 2019. "Intergenerational Income Mobility in the UK:New evidence using the BHPS and Understanding Society," Working Papers 2019017, The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics.
    2. Carneiro, Pedro & Reis, Hugo & Toppeta, Alessandro, 2024. "Parental Investments and Socio-Economic Gradients in Learning across European Countries," IZA Discussion Papers 16785, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Kesharwani, Rajkamal & Sun, Zeyi & Dagli, Cihan & Xiong, Haoyi, 2019. "Moving second generation biofuel manufacturing forward: Investigating economic viability and environmental sustainability considering two strategies for supply chain restructuring," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 1467-1496.
    4. Li, Yu & Kesharwani, Rajkamal & Sun, Zeyi & Qin, Ruwen & Dagli, Cihan & Zhang, Meng & Wang, Donghai, 2020. "Economic viability and environmental impact investigation for the biofuel supply chain using co-fermentation technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 259(C).
    5. Nazareno Panichella & Stefano Cantalini, 2023. "Is Geographical Mobility Beneficial? The Impact of the South-to-North Internal Migration on Occupational Achievement in Italy," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 42(5), pages 1-22, October.
    6. Peter Levell & David Sturrock, 2023. "Using Understanding Society to study intergenerational wealth mobility in the UK," Fiscal Studies, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(4), pages 417-432, December.
    7. Disney, Richard & Gathergood, John & Machin, Stephen & Sandi, Matteo, 2020. "Does homeownership reduce crime? A radical housing reform in Britain," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 108426, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    8. Deutscher, Nathan & Mazumder, Bhashkar, 2020. "Intergenerational mobility across Australia and the stability of regional estimates," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    9. Orazio Attanasio & Áureo de Paula & Alessandro Toppeta, 2020. "Intergenerational Mobility in Socio-emotional Skills," NBER Working Papers 27823, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    10. Richard Disney & John Gathergood & Stephen Machin & Matteo Sandi, 2023. "Does Homeownership Reduce Crime? A Radical Housing Reform from the UK," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 133(655), pages 2640-2675.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population
    • R31 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Real Estate Markets, Spatial Production Analysis, and Firm Location - - - Housing Supply and Markets

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