European Sociological Review 10:259-272 1994
© 1994 Oxford University Press
research-article |
Modelling Trends in Social Fluidity: The Core Model and a Measured-Variable Approach Compared
Department of Sociology and Social Policy, The Queen's University Belfast BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland Tel: + + -44-232-245133; Fax: + + -44-232-320668. E-mail: R.Breen{at}UK.AC.QUB.V2
The Economics and Social Research Institute 4 Burlington Road, Dubling 4, Republic of Ireland
In this paper we employ Erikson and Goldthorpe's core model of social fluidity and a 'measured variable' approach to analyse trends in social mobility among men in the Republic of Ireland. Our analyses provide no evidence that the changes associated with industrialization have led to the increases in social fluidity predicted by the liberal theory of industrialism. The measured-variable approach we employ consistently provides a better fit to the Irish data than the core model. The application of the former model points to a degree of importance of the hierarchy dimension which is not captured adequately by the core model. It also suggests that the well-known distinctiveness of the Irish social mobility regime is open to explanation in terms of general dimensions rather than the peculiarities of the Irish case.
Manuscript received: October 1, 1992.