Costly Opportunities - Social Mobility in Segregated Societies

This Element investigates entrenched inequality in Latin America through a unique case of class integration in Colombian higher education. Examining a forgivable loan program benefiting 40,000 high-achieving individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds, the Element introduces 'gate opening' and 'diversified networks' as mechanisms countering traditional inequality reproduction. Utilizing a longitudinal, ethnographic approach, it explores the evolving process of social mobility within an elite school, emphasizing subjective experiences and challenges. Despite educational gaps and stark social differences, most students formed cross-class friendships, completed their education, and achieved higher socioeconomic positions. Yet, in so doing they had to face several costs of social mobility resourcing to strategies such as camouflaging or disclosing, sometimes becoming culturally omnivourous in the end. The significance of a prestigious degree varies based on the professional labor market, with first-generation students facing more challenges in low quality or elitist markets where cultural and social capital act as entry barriers.

List of contents

1. Introduction; 2. Before the opportunity: understanding the formation of outliers-examining expectations and resources from mothers and teachers; 3. Entering an elite college: the relational costs and work of building social capital; 4. Getting out; 5. Final thoughts; References.

Summary

This Element investigates inequality in Latin America through a unique case of class integration in Colombian higher education. It introduces 'gate opening' and 'diversified networks' as mechanisms countering traditional inequality reproduction. It explores social mobility within an elite school, emphasizing subjective experiences and challenges.

Foreword

This Element analyzes a rare experiment of cross-class interaction and mobility in Latin America where inequality is omnipresent.

Product details

• Authors: Maria Jose (Universidad De Los Alvarez-Rivadulla, María José Álvarez-Rivadulla
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press ELT
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 31.05.2024
• EAN: 9781009503204
• ISBN: 978-1-0-0950320-4
• No. of pages: 84
• Series: Elements in Politics and Society in Latin America
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; Sociology, Latin America, POLITICAL SCIENCE / American Government / General, Social Mobility, Social discrimination & inequality, Latin America – Mexico, Central America, South America, Ethnic minorities & multicultural studies, Racism and racial discrimination / Anti-racism, Social discrimination and social justice