In the Global South economic mobility across generations or intergenerational economic mobility is in and of itself an important topic for research with consequences for policy. This 'Element' surveys the area, conceptually and empirically.

Social mobility is the hope of economic development and the mantra of a good society. There are disagreements about what constitutes social mobility, but there is broad agreement that people should have roughly equal chances of success regardless of their economic status at birth. Concerns about...