Intergenerational inequalities across different outcomes: Comments from a sociologist

Research in sociology and economics largely constitutes separate strands of the literature on intergenerational inequalities. The traditional sociological approach studies mobility between social classes, based on occupations. However, the concept of class is seldom applied in recent research on high-end concentration of economic resources and mobility trends. Therefore, this comment addresses the questions: What is the specific contribution of sociological concepts and approaches to intergenerational inequalities? Which concepts and approaches should sociologists use in their studies of intergenerational inequalities? Three main answers are discussed. First, that the occupation-based approach to inequality and mobility is increasingly problematic and should be abandoned. Second, that sociological and economic approaches should be integrated by including measures of both social class and income in analyses of intergenerational inequalities. A third answer is that the sociological approach has special advantages that should be preserved. The concluding section presents arguments in support of this third answer.