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The Making and Unmaking of Opportunity: Educational Mobility in 20th Century-Denmark

Author

Listed:
  • Kristian Karlson

    (University of Copenhagen)

  • Rasmus Landersø

    (Rockwool Foundation Research Unit)

Abstract

We study intergenerational educational mobility in Denmark over the 20th century during which the comprehensive Danish welfare state was rolled out. While mobility initially was low, schooling reforms benefiting children from disadvantaged backgrounds led to dramatic increases in mobility for cohorts born between 1940 and 1960. However, the college expansion affecting cohorts born from 1970 onward has mainly benefited children from affluent backgrounds, resulting in rapidly declining mobility. Comparisons to educational mobility trends in the U.S. reveal that the two countries converge in mobility levels for the most recent cohorts despite the dramatically different welfare policies in place.

Suggested Citation

  • Kristian Karlson & Rasmus Landersø, 2021. "The Making and Unmaking of Opportunity: Educational Mobility in 20th Century-Denmark," Working Papers 2021-008, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    • Handle: RePEc:hka:wpaper:2021-008
    Note: MIP
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    File URL: http://humcap.uchicago.edu/RePEc/hka/wpaper/Karlson_Landersoe_2021_making-unmaking-opportunity-denmark.pdf
    File Function: First version, February 17, 2021
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    Cited by:

    1. Heckman, James J. & Landersø, Rasmus, 2021. "Lessons from Denmark about Inequality and Social Mobility," IZA Discussion Papers 14185, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Jo Blanden & Matthias Doepke & Jan Stuhler, 2022. "Education inequality," CEP Discussion Papers dp1849, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    3. Sadegh Eshaghnia & James J. Heckman & Rasmus Landersø & Rafeh Qureshi, 2022. "Intergenerational Transmission of Family Influence," NBER Working Papers 30412, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Heckman, James & Landersø, Rasmus, 2022. "Lessons for Americans from Denmark about inequality and social mobility," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    educational mobility; Inequality; schooling reforms; skill;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H00 - Public Economics - - General - - - General
    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • J00 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - General

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