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Acta Sociologica
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Class Origin Effects on Downward Career Mobility in Sweden 1982—2001

Erik Bihagen

Swedish Institute for Social Research (SOFI), Stockholm University, Sweden, erik.bihagen{at}sofi.su.se

This article sheds light on the impact of class origin on career mobility by focusing on downward mobility from the so-called Service I class, which is the most privileged class of employees within the EGP (Erikson—Goldthorpe—Portocarero) class schema. A substantial proportion of the incumbents within Service I originate from the working class. It could be assumed that these people would experience higher levels of downward career mobility. Using Swedish survey data with panels covering the time period 1982 to 2001, this hypothesis receives support for women but not for men. A lower level of educational attainment characteristic of people originating in the working class seems to explain part, but not all, of the association between class origin and downward career mobility. An explanation is suggested based on the assumption of different responses to the problem of combining family and working life for women with different class origins.

Key Words: career mobility • class origin • downward mobility • gender • social class • social stratification

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Acta Sociologica, Vol. 50, No. 4, 415-430 (2007)
DOI: 10.1177/0001699307083982
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