Social mobility and social capital

This chapter reviews literature examining relationships between social capital and social mobility. It first introduces concepts and describes early research on social capital “effects” on class mobility and intergenerational status attainment. It then considers whether such associations are causal. Next, the chapter examines geography and place effects of social capital and concludes with research recommendations for an overarching agenda examining how early life circumstances influence later life outcomes. It suggests that researchers should measure social capital and social homophily directly to address causality, if possible, but also adopt longitudinal, rather than cross-sectional designs, and tailor hypotheses appropriately to specific outcomes. For instance, social capital may influence access to managerial positions but not professional ones. Populations and contexts may also matter, with political economy, culture, macroeconomic and labour market institutions, all potentially moderating social capital effects on socioeconomic outcomes for different groups.