Jobs and Classes: Structural Constrains on Career Mobility

The relationship between class mobility and job mobility is investigated using retrospective career history data from the Federal Republic of Germany. Although few sociological theories speak directly to this problem, many current ideas imply expected patterns. Among these we explore theories of class reproduction, work degradation, bureaucracy, industrial segmentation and the life course. The findings show that class mobility and job mobility are distinct processes, each yielding a different view of the opportunity structure of Germany. Moreover, the dynamic perspective suggests that cross-sectional analyses of mobility give a misleading view of work trajectories. We also find strong effects of industrial sector, firm size, education and class background.

Released: Replika 9–10, 135–160.
Replika block:
Fordította:
Gergely Egely