The Rising Tide or Inequality at Work? Gender and ethnicity in social mobility

My research aims to analyse and explain social mobility changes, with a foreground on gender and ethnicity within the UK's labour market and comparatively with Germany. My objective is to clarify the potential penalties and gains different background and socio-economic characteristics have within-group inequality over-time. The comparison with Germany aims to present an analysis of two countries with different institutional regimes and intensity of market-driven policy, as in education and labour regulations. Moreover, I hope to create research that integrates sociology and economics theory and measurement. My proposed research uses recent longitudinal data and combines multidisciplinary social mobility measures; thus, I will be using advanced quantitative methods that include regression methods for longitudinaldata analysis. These methods intend to present mobility and churning regarding different transitions for specific subgroups. Furthermore, I hope to understand which groups have higher probabilities of being affected by different mobility patternsover different periods and countries

This study's significance relates to the debate of how the mobility of men, women and different ethnicities has changed over time, concerning the shifting configuration of inequalities with recent different data sources. Moreover, it compares a country that has focused on market allocation to one based on inclusive non-market coordination,which may have diverse effects on mobility. It intends toprovide in-depth information for mobility for the social policy agenda.Someauthors suggest that chances are not genuinely equal and question the concept of meritocracy.Affluent parents figure out how to pass on advantages, and, thus, we live in highly imperfect meritocratic societies that are corrosive of the common good1. Moreover, persuasive evidence supports the hypothesis that inequality reproduces social mobility restrictionsby hoarding opportunities and that the mechanisms on mobility within countries are nuanced. Social relations, the labour market and institutional factors may also affect how socially mobile or fluid individuals may be. Additionally, Stiglitz 1noted that with rising inequality comes rising instability. Finally, pandemics and recessions may affect specific groups in different intensities.Two academic challenges are faced through this research project. First, much of the research on social mobility has focused on men's experience 2. This is due to the 'recent'entry of women into the labour market and that their partner's position in society represented their social and economic standing. However, there has been economic progress and great strides in women's participation in the labour market. Recent literatureand more data availability have emphasised women's mobility and reminded us that it provides more insight into understanding social mobility 3-6. Thereare also notable gaps in empirical knowledge about how horizontal inequalities manifest within and across countries over time, specifically regarding differences in definitions and classifications like ethnicity 7. Moreover, this empirical knowledge is needed to inform policyto improve labour market regulation and expenditureand, academically, to connect economic and sociological theory that contributes to social policy research