(2) Social Mobility and Education

How is class officially measured in the UK?

National Statistics Socio-economic classification (NS-SEC)

How can social mobility be measured as?

Transition from one class to another

What are some examples of ‘higher’ and ‘lower’ working class families?

• Lower: Cleaner/waiter

• Higher: Electrician/shop assistant

According to ONS statistics (2021), what % of lower working class people between 25-29 got a first degree? How did this compare to higher professional classes?

• 20% of lower working class got a first degree

• 45% of higher professional got a class

What are the two types of movement in social mobility?

• Intra-generational mobility

• Inter-generational mobility

What is intra-generational mobility?

During lifetime, short range movement more common

What is inter-generational mobility?

Passed down from parents to children, more significant over time

What does ‘downward mobility’ indicate in comparison to upward mobility?

Better indicator of openness of a system

What are some factors as to why social mobility persists?

• Education

• Economic trends

• Geographical disparities

• Discrimination and stereotypes

• Labour market

What did Bourdieu believe about cultural capital?

People have access to different levels of cultural resources

What is habitus according to Bourdieu?

People that share social class, share social tastes - sense of place and belonging

According to Bourdieu, why may the working class develop ‘imposter syndrome’?

May internalise a sense of limitation due to their social class

What did Lawler and Payne (2018) find about lack of mobility?

Feeds dissolution and support for nationalistic political parties

How does Lawler and Payne’s (2018) findings link to the UK’s current political climate?

Shift to extreme right-wing nationalist parties like Reform.

What did C.W. Wright Mills find about white-collar workers and social mobility?

White-collar workers believe they have more social mobility, but are still part of hierarchal and bureaucratic system

According to C.W. Wright Mills, what are those of a higher social mobility encouraged to do? What is this shaped by?

• Encouraged to buy material goods as a symbol of affluence

• Shaped by consumption, not economic independence

What is nepotism, and why is it considered a detriment to society?

• Practice of favouritism to relatives or friends

• Discriminates against non-family members and friends

What is education shaped by?

Diverse institutions and social forces

Why is education a benefit to society?

Seen as a source of liberation, i.e. meritocracy

Why can education be seen as detrimental to society?

• Legitimises and reproduces inequalities

• Can be a process where violence is exerted

According to Macionis and Plummer (2008), what is education?

‘the social institution guiding the critical learning of knowledge, job skills, cultural norms and values’

According to Macionis and Plummer (2008), what is schooling?

Formal instruction under the direction specially trained teachers

In the global north, is education currently considered a matter of education or schooling? When/why did this change?

• Schooling

• Used to be education, as school in the 19th-20th century was not mandatory/free

• Education was a privilege until the industrial society

In the global south, what organisations/sectors play a predominant role in the education systems?

Religious, charitable and private organisations

Who provided education in the 19th century in the UK for the working class? Why did the working class not get access 'to ‘public’ schools?

• Churches provided basic Sunday education

• Fears of an insurgent highly educated working class

How did the industrial revolution impact education?

Made it desirable for workers to have some basic training

According to Atkinson (2017), why was there a rise in the middle classes?

Highly educated workforce to provide technical, intellectual and financial services on the world market

What is the ‘neoliberal mind’ in education?

Freedom to send young people to certain (public) schools and universities will improve competition