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A multi-country study of inter-generational educational mobility

Author

Listed:
  • Arnaud Chevalier
  • Kevin Denny
  • Dorren McMahon
Abstract
This paper analyses intergenerational educational mobility using survey data for twenty countries. We find that a number of interesting patterns emerge. Estimating a measure of mobility as movement and an index of mobility as equality of opportunity we find that while these two measures are positively correlated, the correlation is far from perfect. Examining the link with educational inequality we find evidence which suggests an inverse relationship between mobility and inequality consistent with egalitarian theory. The relationship between mobility appears to be weak, high returns to education do not depress mobility, as some human capital theories would suggest. Mobility appears to be somewhat higher for men whereas equality is much the same for both sexes. There is evidence that mobility as equality of opportunity has risen consistent with modernization theory. There is no evidence that expansion of third level education has led to a fall in the penalty associated with having a low educated parent. Estimates of marginal mobility are quite different from average mobility.

Suggested Citation

  • Arnaud Chevalier & Kevin Denny & Dorren McMahon, 2003. "A multi-country study of inter-generational educational mobility," Working Papers 200314, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucn:wpaper:200314
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10197/936
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    Cited by:

    1. Daniele Checchi & Luca Flabbi, 2013. "Intergenerational Mobility and Schooling Decisions in Germany and Italy: The Impact of Secondary School Tracks," Rivista di Politica Economica, SIPI Spa, issue 3, pages 7-57, July-Sept.
    2. Pirmin Fessler & Peter Mooslechner & Martin Schürz, 2012. "Intergenerational transmission of educational attainment in Austria," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 39(1), pages 65-86, February.
    3. Sarah Brown & Steven Mcintosh & Karl Taylor, 2011. "Following in Your Parents’ Footsteps? Empirical Analysis of Matched Parent–Offspring Test Scores," Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics, Department of Economics, University of Oxford, vol. 73(1), pages 40-58, February.
    4. Bauer, Philipp C. & Riphahn, Regina T., 2009. "Age at school entry and intergenerational educational mobility," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 103(2), pages 87-90, May.
    5. Kevin Denny, 2003. "The effects of human capital on social capital : a cross-country analysis (version 1.6)," Working Papers 200318, School of Economics, University College Dublin.
    6. Black, Sandra E. & Devereux, Paul J., 2011. "Recent Developments in Intergenerational Mobility," Handbook of Labor Economics, in: O. Ashenfelter & D. Card (ed.), Handbook of Labor Economics, edition 1, volume 4, chapter 16, pages 1487-1541, Elsevier.
    7. Checchi, Daniele & Fiorio, Carlo V. & Leonardi, Marco, 2013. "Intergenerational persistence of educational attainment in Italy," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 118(1), pages 229-232.
    8. Leone, Tharcisio, 2021. "The gender gap in intergenerational mobility," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 21(C).
    9. Heineck Guido & Riphahn Regina T., 2009. "Intergenerational Transmission of Educational Attainment in Germany – The Last Five Decades," Journal of Economics and Statistics (Jahrbuecher fuer Nationaloekonomie und Statistik), De Gruyter, vol. 229(1), pages 36-60, February.
    10. Nathalie Chusseau & Joël Hellier & B. Ben-Halima, 2013. "Education, Intergenerational Mobility and Inequality," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Joël Hellier & Nathalie Chusseau (ed.), Growing Income Inequalities, chapter 8, pages 227-273, Palgrave Macmillan.
    11. Dragomirescu-Gaina, Catalin & Elia, Leandro & Weber, Anke, 2015. "A fast-forward look at tertiary education attainment in Europe 2020," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 37(5), pages 804-819.
    12. Damdinsuren, Erdenebulgan & Mitkova, Mariya & Zaharieva, Anna, 2024. "Parental networks, wage expectations, and the intergenerational educational mobility," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 218(C), pages 146-175.
    13. Antoni, Manfred, 2011. "Lifelong learning inequality? The relevance of family background for on-the-job training," IAB-Discussion Paper 201109, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    14. Richard Lampard, 2007. "Is Social Mobility an Echo of Educational Mobility? Parents’ Educations and Occupations and Their Children's Occupational Attainment," Sociological Research Online, , vol. 12(5), pages 44-66, September.
    15. Jason Fletcher & Joel Han, 2019. "Intergenerational Mobility in Education: Variation in Geography and Time," Journal of Human Capital, University of Chicago Press, vol. 13(4), pages 585-634.
    16. Tharcisio Leone, 2019. "The Geography of Intergenerational Mobility: Evidence of Educational Persistence and the “Great Gatsby Curve" in Brazil," Documentos de Trabajo 17526, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA).
    17. Antonio Di Paolo & José Luís Raymond & Jorge Calero, 2010. "Exploring educational mobility in Europe," Working Papers XREAP2010-11, Xarxa de Referència en Economia Aplicada (XREAP), revised Oct 2010.
    18. Leone, Tharcisio, 2019. "The geography of intergenerational mobility: Evidence of educational persistence and the "Great Gatsby Curve" in Brazil," GIGA Working Papers 318, GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies.

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