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Abstract:  Intergenerational class mobility has long been a central concern in sociological research. This presentation examines the relationships among class origin (O), class destination (D), and education (E) in postwar Japan. First, it analyzes trends in intergenerational mobility, focusing on the association between class origin and destination (OD). The findings indicate no clear trend toward either greater openness or increased rigidity in postwar Japan. Second, the presentation highlights the role of education in mediating the association between class origin and destination by examining the relationships between class origin and education (OE) and between education and class destination (ED). The trends in the OE and ED associations are stable in post-war Japan. Finally, the presentation considers the moderating role of education by testing the “college as the great equalizer” hypothesis, which posits that the association between class origin and destination is weaker—or even non-significant—among the college-educated than among those with lower levels of education. In Japan, the equalizing effect of college education is not apparent because of the specific institutional arrangements of the educational system and the labor market in society. 

The Sociology Seminar Series for Trinity Term is convened by Jasmin Abdel Ghany and Nontokozo Langwenya. For more information about this or any of the seminars in the series, please contact sociology.secretary@nuffield.ox.ac.uk.