Examining Intergenerational Mobility across Subjective and Objective Measures of Social Class in a Canadian Context

• In Event: 20225 - Intergenerational Mobility

Abstract

Although Canada is often thought of as a country with higher levels of intergenerational mobility and Canadians express strong support for an ideology rooted in meritocracy, the recent housing crisis and growing economic insecurity have challenged both of these notions, calling into question the potential for upward mobility across groups. Patterns of mobility, however, can vary considerably across different measures, making it important to study these issues using both subjective and objective measures for social class. How tied is an individual’s social class to that of their parents in contemporary Canada? And, do different measures of social class tell different stories about intergenerational mobility? We address these questions using data from a 2023 national online survey of Canadians (N=8,007) that included a broad range of social class measures. Initial descriptive findings show that patterns of mobility between parents and children depend on whether measures consider social class identity, education, or occupational status. Some of the greatest mobility is evident among occupations and some of the lowest among social class identity. Additional models that examine how these measures are linked with one another and how they vary across groups will further highlight the nuances of pathways to mobility in Canada.

Authors

• Michelle Lee Maroto, University of Alberta

• Samuel Harris Braden, University of Alberta