Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Growing into poverty? Social Mobility and Child Poverty in Welfare States

Herz, Lotta LU (2015) STVM25 20151
Department of Political Science
Abstract
Intergenerational social mobility represents the ability of individuals to reach their full potential, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. But what factors influence the social mobility in a society? This study takes a comprehensive look at the role of child poverty. Through a cross-country statistical analysis it is shown that states with a high rate of child poverty have lower social mobility. Further on it is established that social policy, represented through the concept of decommodification, has an important impact on the incidence of child poverty in countries. However, methodological considerations present challenges and the causality of the result remains in doubt. The theoretical framework, consisting of... (More)
Intergenerational social mobility represents the ability of individuals to reach their full potential, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. But what factors influence the social mobility in a society? This study takes a comprehensive look at the role of child poverty. Through a cross-country statistical analysis it is shown that states with a high rate of child poverty have lower social mobility. Further on it is established that social policy, represented through the concept of decommodification, has an important impact on the incidence of child poverty in countries. However, methodological considerations present challenges and the causality of the result remains in doubt. The theoretical framework, consisting of Esping-Andersen’s welfare regimes, provides useful insights concerning the international variance of child poverty. But it fails to explain the result in the statistical analysis concerning the relationship between social mobility and decommodification, which is shown to be statistically insignificant. It is concluded that further research is needed in order to confirm, and understand, the role social policy play in the formation of social mobility in a society. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Herz, Lotta LU
supervisor
organization
course
STVM25 20151
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
social mobility, child poverty, social policy, welfare regimes, decommodification.
language
English
id
7759673
date added to LUP
2015-09-09 17:36:10
date last changed
2015-09-09 17:36:10
@misc{7759673,
  abstract     = {{Intergenerational social mobility represents the ability of individuals to reach their full potential, regardless of the circumstances of their birth. But what factors influence the social mobility in a society? This study takes a comprehensive look at the role of child poverty. Through a cross-country statistical analysis it is shown that states with a high rate of child poverty have lower social mobility. Further on it is established that social policy, represented through the concept of decommodification, has an important impact on the incidence of child poverty in countries. However, methodological considerations present challenges and the causality of the result remains in doubt. The theoretical framework, consisting of Esping-Andersen’s welfare regimes, provides useful insights concerning the international variance of child poverty. But it fails to explain the result in the statistical analysis concerning the relationship between social mobility and decommodification, which is shown to be statistically insignificant. It is concluded that further research is needed in order to confirm, and understand, the role social policy play in the formation of social mobility in a society.}},
  author       = {{Herz, Lotta}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Growing into poverty? Social Mobility and Child Poverty in Welfare States}},
  year         = {{2015}},
}