To what extent is our social and economic position influenced by that of our parents, and how much can be shaped by factors such as education, labour markets, welfare and health policies?

Data from the European Social Survey (ESS), which has taken place biennially since 2002, is providing new insights for researchers trying to identify what influences social mobility, and enabling comparison between 32 European countries.

Dr Erzsébet Bukodi and Dr Marii Paskov will discuss their analysis of the ESS data and of the societal conditions for the cohorts being studied in their project, which seeks ultimately to explain why countries differ when it comes to social mobility.