American Dream & Social Mobility Obstacles

American Dream Research Paper
For centuries, the American Dream has represented the idea of the land of opportunity. It has
attracted immigrants from all over the world since the creation of the United States. People from
middle and lower social classes love the idea of equal opportunity, as they have most likely been at a
disadvantage from birth. It is a motivating factor for the ambitious, hard–working people, and the
lazy, optimistic people. Nonetheless, a capitalist nation inherently has a lower class, and most people
fail to fulfill this American Dream. Modern day does not allow for the simple fantasy of making it
big in the stock market, or amassing a great wealth on a farm in the midwest anymore. The current
state of undergraduate education, lack of economic mobility, ... Show more content on
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This lack of economic mobility is another leading obstacle in the pursuit of the American Dream.
Without scholarships or federal grants, public college costs about $100,000 to attend for four years.
A person living in poverty will struggle much more than someone born into the upper class to scrape
together $100,000, which makes it nearly impossible to receive a higher education without
overwhelming yourself with massive student loans that you will never be able to repay. The
accumulation of debt by interest will be too much for a person in poverty to handle, nonetheless the
original loan. The upper and lower classes continue to divide as middle class Americans slip into the
lower class, while wealth and assets continue to shift up the classes. A study by the Economic
Mobility Project of the Pew Charitable Trusts found that nearly one third of middle class American
teenagers could not hold their social class after entering adulthood. This was most likely a result of
the need for expensive education and the bridge it creates between those who can afford it, and those
who
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Childhood Limits Social Mobility
The primary source of the scientific literature, Study: Lead poisoning in childhood limits social
mobility in adulthood, is JAMA. JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, is a peer
reviewed medical journal that includes the latest medical research, reviews, and up to date
guidelines. The article published in JAMA suggested the grim effects of childhood lead exposure not
only affecting a child during their youth, but continuously following them into adulthood.
Childhood lead exposure oppresses an individual negatively by ossifying an individual's cognitive
development, but also potentially limiting their socioeconomic advancement. 1 Duke University
tracked a generation of kids using a nearly 30 year, New Zealand based investigation. ... Show more
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Children who are poor have negative social determinants of health and are hit twice as hard. Being
poor and being exposed to lead would pull in even worse outcomes when compared with children
who do not fall in the bracket of being poor. The results may be biased or even suggest correlation
when it doesn't exist. 3 The children who are poor may be suffering negative determinants of health
that affect their IQ added upon their exposure to lead. This may over exemplify the findings of the
study. Confounding variables, such as the negative social determinants of being poor, may be
reduced by ensuring the study is conducted with random samples. 3 Another method may be
introducing control variables, such as only measuring students that are within a certain class
separately and then comparing the

The Socioeconomic And Economic Status And Upward Mobility...
Amer Alhammadi ASB 202 4) There are many differences in the average socio–and economic status
and upward mobility of second–generation immigrant minorities when compared to their parents
who are first–generation immigrants. A lot of this can be attributed to different rates of cultural
assimilation and there are many different factors that come into play when dealing with an analysis
of cultural assimilation and what is the most and second–most important factor to be successful in
the assimilation. We talk about generations and looking at the study of different generations this is
something that anthropologists are very interested in doing. As the United States continues to have
more and more immigrants entering the country there are consistently new first generations that
academic scholars can look to study. One of the most exciting areas of study for those interested in
the anthropology of assimilation is to take a look at the Hispanic community who in many cases are
third–generation or getting into the third–generation. When looking at first–generation as compared
to second–generation there's a big question as to whether second–generation is compared to third–
generation is going to look the same, look different, or somewhere in between. Relationships
between generations is something that is very significant in any community but in the Hispanic
community there are some specific norms and customs that parents would like the children to
continue on with well the children

Undocumented Americans Sociology
Undocumented Americans are like any other Americans, but with limited freedoms and
opportunities as their other American peers. In the United States, undocumented Americans number
about 2.1 million, and almost half of them are now adults (Friedman, November 10th, 2016). Many
of these undocumented Americans were born in Mexico, moved to the United States and began their
lives as American since they were young. This particular group of immigrant youths face uncertain
futures clouded by fear and frustration due to the lack of rights, opportunities, and supports from
both the general publics and the government. Many undocumented Americans do not fully realize
the constraints of their status until they become young adults. Undocumented Americans' ... Show
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With the social dimension, successful integration would mean living alongside the population
without fear of systematic discrimination, intimidation, or exploitation by the authorities or the
people of the country (Friedman, November 8th, 2016). The implication of social mobility has long
lasting impact on undocumented Americans. Many immigrant youths with undocumented status saw
being open with their peers regarding their immigration status as a threat to their standing in social
groups at school and within the broader community. In order to make their life seems as normal as
possible and avoid situations where they could be excluded, many college–goers keep their
undocumented status a secret from friends. Many of the respondents in Lives of Limbo hide their
status from their friends because they felt embarrassed and did not want to experience exclusion
(Gonzales, 113). The negative discourse about Latino immigrants also take a toll on the routines and
activities of undocumented American. The racial constructions of Mexicans as criminals caused
immigrant youths to repel this stigma by concealing their undocumented status (Gonzalez, 109).
When they were young, they had inclusionary access; however, once they become young adults,
they are denied of participation in many institutions of mainstream life. Even if they discover their
status at a young age, they would still conceal it due to the fear of deportation. Many state and local
government are turning police officers into de facto immigration agents to crack down on
undocumented immigrants and those who provide them jobs and housing (Ewing,7). This
stigmatized identity leads to social exclusion, which also prevents these undocumented Americans
from integrating into the US mainstream. They feel out of place and unwelcoming by their peers if
their undocumented status is known by their friends and community. Integration is a

Throughout the centuries, social class and mobility has...
Throughout the centuries, social class and mobility has always been a big concern for Americans.
Today, social mobility has been known to be roughly the same over the past few decades. Social
mobility, to begin with, is defined as a movement, either upward or downward, in social class. The
social mobility is greatly influenced by the level of openness within a society, in which a person can
gain their social status by their own efforts.
We often think to ourselves that the United States is a place with a lot of social mobility and equal
opportunities. However, that is ironically not true. According to a graph from a 2005 New York
Times series on income mobility, the United States is ranked second to last when it comes to the rate
of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
While on the other hand, children that are raised by both parents have higher rates of upward
mobility. In addition, children who didn't get to spend most of their childhood with both of their
biological parents, usually have lower socioeconomic gains when compared to children who did.
Studies also show that nearly a third of households that are run by single mothers in the United
States, live below the poverty line. Another barrier to social mobility is income inequality, which
have grown greatly since the early 1970s. It's no longer the case that anyone that works hard and
plays by the rules can get ahead. There are five types of levels that Americans are classified as,
which are the upper class, upper middle class, the middle class, the working class, and the poor.
Today, the highest percentage of Americans, fall in the poor category. In our society today, most of
the population has jobs that help keep the country in place yet they hardly are awarded for their hard
work and effort. Many of these people live from paycheck to paycheck, barely meeting their needs.
This isn't because they can't manage their money, but because the value of their time at work, is
negligible. People even often sacrifice their sanity, happiness, and their life just to keep themselves
from poverty. While on the other hand actors and actresses, such as Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts,
make millions of dollars in the entertainment industry. An industry that makes millions a year

The Land Of Opportunity By Loewen
Millennials form the majority of the United States population, outnumbering Baby Boomers by
eleven million. Higher education is now more crucial for securing a middle–class lifestyle than ever
before, yet for the majority, the cost for a bachelor's degree has become prohibitively expensive. In
"The Land of Opportunity", Loewen contends that high school education methodically avoids a
critical dialogue of socioeconomic inequality in America. The social class to which a student
belongs greatly influences their capacity for upward mobility. If higher education is a requirement
for improved economic status, then students in the lower class are already disadvantaged. Loewen
quotes Theodore Sizer, "If you are the child of low–income parents, the chances are good that you
will receive limited and often careless attention from adults in your high school" (qtd. in Loewen,
203). High school students cannot look to the classroom to prepare them for real world power
dynamics. If left to their own devices, adolescents may be influenced by skewed allegories in
fictional entertainment media. Parents must use educational resources to prompt critical thinking
about socioeconomic inequality in order to prepare America's youth for securing their futures.
Though there may be little to no exposure to these ideas in the classroom, students will encounter
them as they consume mass entertainment media. Social class disparity has long been a reoccurring
theme in film. Adolescents and young adults

The Impact Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
The American dream is the idea that socioeconomic class mobility is possible; a person with nothing
could rise and become someone great. Few Americans, like the character of Jay Gatsby in F. Scott
Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, will fulfill this dream. But, average Americans, like the
character of George Wilson, will remain in their parents' class for the entirety of their lives. Class
mobility is an integral facet of the American dream, and while possible, it is not often achieved.
Only a select few super–achievers can attain the rags to riches, American dream of an ascent to
wealth and power, but the majority of Americans will live their lives perpetually stuck in the class
that they were born into. Americans have been taught that they can climb the economic ladder if
they work hard enough, and just as they can climb it, they can fall right back down, but that is not
the case. In reality, there is "far less mobility up and down the economic ladder than economists
once thought or than most Americans believe" ("Class and the American Dream"). Of course, there
are the stories of those who have reached affluence, like Bill Clinton or Bill Gates, that come from
humble beginnings, and that can cloud reality for many Americans. "But beneath this veneer of
super–achievers, recent scholarship shows, many Americans find themselves mired in the same
place as their parents" ("Class and the American Dream"). Now, the odds are that Americans will
remain stuck within their

America 's Role And The Middle Class
Throughout history there has been and shall always be a controversy dealing with the idea of who
actually rules America. Is it the working class, middle class, upper class, corporations, government
or the people who voice their opinion who rule America? Or is there a coalition of these individuals
who represent America itself? However upsetting the truth may be, it is clear, thanks to the literature
work of G. William Domhoff, Who Rules America? The Triumph of the Corporate Rich, that
corporations and the upper class rule America. Changes in the United States "represent the triumph
of the corporate rich that own and manage the relative handful of large banks, corporations,
agribusiness, and commercial real estate developments that dominate the American economy and
government." For starters, we are all vital in understanding the construction of the social class. We
each play a role and the middle class is crucial to a stable economic system. To promote further
understanding of this inequality, we must accept that the rich keep getting richer and the middle
class remains in their current class. If only 400 individuals have more wealth than half of the US
population, then there is no denying that there is a struggle for the middle class. The one percent
accumulates most of the country's total income and wealth, which creates an overall gap between the
classes. Consumer spending is 70% of the US economy, basically, the middle class is the heart of the
economy since they spend

Rhetorical Analysis Of Death Of Horatio Alger
Paul Krugman, author of "The Death of Horatio Alger," evaluates the declining social mobility in
America. He proposes that the decline in social mobility is causing the rich to continue to get richer
and the poor to continue to get poorer. Krugman was inspired to discuss how this would result in the
shocking loss of the American Dream, after he read a Business Week article that made him fearful of
the considerable and drastic decline that would destroy the livelihood of many Americans.
Krugman's purpose was to make his audience; those of lower socioeconomic status, aware that the
American Dream they hoped to achieve would soon become extinct. He creates a fearful and
negative tone, in order to grab his audience's attention and inform them about the economic
downfall. Krugman strongly conveys his message not only through his harsh tone, but by appealing
to pathos, incorporating rhetorical questions that create a fearful mood, and appealing to logos to
make a credible and sound argument.
Throughout the article, Krugman attempts to grab the attention of his audience and help them
become mindful of how the limited movement between social classes will have an effect on their
life. In order to do so, he implements rhetorical questions that appeal to pathos and ethos, while
displaying a negative tone and fearful mood. Rhetorical questions are used throughout the article to
introduce an important idea and make the readers evaluate their current social status. For example,
the author creates a hypothetical situation about the rich wanting to seek more advancements, he
then questions, "What would you do?" (11) and follows this question with steps one could take to
control the government and receive more leverage over the poor community. This question and
response strengthened his argument because it appealed to the readers emotions about the ability the
rich have to further harm the poor. Krugman also proposes questions that appeal to his ethos. After
stating the steps one could take to "close off as many routes to upward mobility as possible," (14) he
asks, "It all sounds sort of familiar, doesn't it?"(15). This question is meant to be unanswered but
make the audience reflect. If the audience did feel that the

Cultural Capital, Or A Lack Thereof, Can Give Insight Into...
Cultural capital, or a lack thereof, can give insight into someone's socio–economic status.
Throughout our relationship, Germeka has asked me a lot about my experience at college. She asks
questions like how much it cost to go to college, how I pay for it, if my parents send me money, and
if I have a job. The first time we discussed college she asked me if I got paid to be a student at
UNC–Chapel Hill (Reflection 1) At first, I was shocked that she thought I got paid to go to college,
to me that does not even seem logical. However, this is a clear example of differences in cultural
capital between the varying socio–economic statuses. Other than previous mentors, I am not sure
how many college–educated people Germeka has had genuine ... Show more content on
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I applied to college because I had grown up around people who went to college, I saw my brothers
go through the application process, I went to a school that pushed everyone to take classes that
prepared you for a higher education, and many other factors. I gained cultural capital from my
location in my family, class and school. However, Germeka has clearly not been exposed to similar
capital as I had been at her age. This lack of cultural capital could keep her from applying to college
for many reasons. She may not apply or attempt to attend college out of anxiety over the cost if she
doesn't know about financial aid and loans, or ignorance that your grades in high school effect your
ability to attend a university, or even just general knowledge about the application process, such as
making a resume, being involved in clubs or knowing to take the SAT. College and higher education
provides opportunities that would potentially allow Germeka to come out of the lower class and get
a job outside of the blue–collar sector. The lack of experiences and cultural capital that Germeka has
is evident in our interactions and could potentially limit the opportunities of her life. Social capital
also plays a role in Germeka's experiences and opportunities and can account for some of our
interactions. Relationships and social–ties influence a person's decisions, expectations and
opportunities for advancement. Like I said before, the amount of people Germeka

The American Dream In Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle
Comedian George Carlin once stated, "That's why they call it the American Dream, because you
have to be asleep to believe it." Financial security, freedom to live how one chooses, retiring at 65
and living comfortably in old age, owning a home, knowing that working hard pays off: these are all
fundamental beliefs tied to the American Dream. As newer generations are increasingly finding the
dream to be unrealistic, people are beginning to abandon the concept; however it is still a very
present ideology. While many believe the American Dream is a lively goal that everyone strives to
achieve, it is actually a dying illusion that is unattainable for all but the wealthiest and used to
propagate a classist society, causing a cycle of ignorance ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The purpose of the American dream is not to promise success as a reward for hard work; conversely,
it is the idea that individuals should be able to achieve success despite their socioeconomic status.
This belief is intended to inspire and create equality. Although the American Dream sounds
optimistic in concept, it further propagates inequality in practice.
The American Dream is not a function of ability and achievement, but a dying illusion. America is
not truly the land of the free, but an ignorant classist society. Gregory Clark, an economics professor
at the University of California, Davis, stated that "America has no higher rate of social mobility than
medieval England or pre–industrial Sweden ... That's the most difficult part of talking about social
mobility – it 's shattering people 's dreams" (qtd. in Evans). The United States has an incredibly
outdated economic system that does not allow disadvantaged citizens opportunities regardless of
how hard they work. People get stuck in their social status and are not able to stray out of it, which
affects their further generations. Additionally, immigrants coming to America in hopes of prosperity
are likely to have even less luck than immigrants of the pass and widen the gap of social inequality.
Clark continues to state, "The truth is that the American Dream was always an illusion. Blindly
pursuing

A.Structural Mobility/Pg. 279: Movement Up Or Down The
A. Structural mobility/pg. 279: Movement up or down the social class ladder that is due more to
changes in the structure of society than to the actions of individuals.
Structural mobility is huge to the people of Dharvi. Everyone there strives to move up on the social
ladder. Yet some are okay with facing the facts of them might never move from where they are now.
Structural mobility is the second basic type of mobility and refers to change in society that allows
large numbers of people to move up or down the class ladder. There are many different typologies of
social mobility. Vertical, horizontal, and lateral mobility. Vertical mobility is what we typically think
of when we think of social mobility. This occurs when a person or group of ... Show more content
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Generic fundamentalism takes its cues from a sacred text that stands above criticism. It sees time–
honored social distinctions and cultural patterns as rooted in the very nature of things, in the order of
creation itself. That means clear–cut and stratified roles for men and women, parents and children,
clergy and laity. On the other hand, generic fundamentalism seeks to minimize the distinction
between the state and the church. To hold that the state should operate according to one set of
publicly shared principles, while individuals should operate according to multiple sets of privately
shared principles, is morally pernicious and ends up harming everyone, believers and nonbelievers
alike. Religious truths are no different from the truths of medical science or aeronautical
engineering: if they hold for anyone they hold for everyone.
C. Values/ pg. 46: The standards by which people define what is desirable or undesirable, superior,
or inferior good or bad, beautiful or ugly.
Value is placed on respect for an individual's dignity and personal autonomy. People are not meant
to be controlled. One is taught not to interfere in the affairs of another. Children are afforded the
same respect as adults. Indian parents generally practice noninterference regarding their child's
vocation. Indians support the rights of an individual. One does not volunteer advice until it

Advancements And Impact Of Technology
Advances in technology have contributed significantly to the success of the United States economy.
Since the Industrial Revolution, technological advances have allowed companies to carry out tasks
more efficiently, expediting production while driving down the product costs. With the increase in
demand for cheaper products, so did the need for workers to overlook the machines doing the work.
In recent years, a new technological system called Artificial Intelligence has emerged. Artificial
Intelligence (AI), is "the theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that
normally require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, decision
making, and translation between languages" (Barrat 7). Even though AI is still in its early stages of
development, some companies have tried to cut costs by implementing these early forms of AI. As a
result, "we get a higher gross national product owing to the impact of information technology on
workers productivity" (Barrat 191). But, what happens to the job market when people are replaced
by machines, and who actually benefits from the implementation of AI? Based on the historical
impact of technology and the early implementations of AI, Artificial Intelligence will impact entry–
level low–skill jobs that don't require higher education. In this paper, I argue how the further
introduction of AI into the workplace will only benefit the wealthy by exacerbating disparities in
economic inequality. I will

The American Dream : An Unequal Construction Dependent On...
The American Dream as previously stated is an unequal construction, dependent on the economic,
political, and social states of its society. Although these factors change how and who gets to achieve
the American Dream, the universal hope of accomplishing this Dream has not changed, as
individuals are still optimistic about their hard work translating into upward mobility. The chances,
though, for their hard work to become the Dream have drastically changed due to economic,
political, and social fluctuations. This is evident within second–generation immigrants, as the
cohorts prior and after 1985 encountered different prospects. Gans (1992), for instance, perceived
that there would be a decline in the new second generation, due to the ... Show more content on
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Instead "... immigrant youths who remain firmly ensconced in their respective ethnic communities
may, by virtue of this fact, have a better chance for educational and economic mobility through use
of the material and social capital that their communities make available" (82).
Some second–generation youth, therefore, do not consider middle–class assimilation as relevant in
their path towards the American Dream, unlike their older counterparts. This tension of perception
can be seen through the differences between Richard and Olivia. Although, these two people have
faced quite distinct barriers and privileges, they exemplify this intergenerational variance. Richard
Rodriguez, for instance, thinks that success and achieving the Dream can only be accomplished
through assimilation into white middle class culture. Olivia, on the other hand, attained a class–
consciousness that helped her to realize that the American Dream did not require white assimilation.
So instead, Olivia tried to form strong ties with the Chicanx community. Their paths, although
contrary, lead to the same achievement, the American Dream. The change of path changed their
chances of achieving the Dream, as assimilation in one historic context facilitated the path towards
upward mobility, while in another historic assimilation became segmented. This segmentation
brought forth a segmentation of opportunity, as there is no longer that framework of

Examples Of Social Solidifacation
Lucia Lu
Professor Kobayashi
Writing–100
March 27, 2017
Social solidifacation in US– Draft
When involved in a discussion about class solidification, people tend to give examples and personal
experience of living in European countries, especially United Kingdom or other regions of
Constitutional Monarchy. While on the other side, United States graces itself and attracts elites from
all over the world with "American Dreams", inspires people that everyone can and will eventually
climb up the social class pyramid and achieve economic greatness if they work hard enough. This
diligent spirit resulted in immigration choices made by the talented citizens all over the world to
come and pursue their educational or professional paths in the wonderland ... Show more content on
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One of the important data to examine is the intergenerational income elasticity, which defines how
relevant the income of children to that of their parents, or in another world, how likely will everyone
in America be stuck in the same social and economical status with their parents. By comparing this
data of United States to the rest of the world, a pattern will show to offer us with the answer of our
main

The Inequality Of The American Dream
The American Dream is the idea that any American can raise their socioeconomic status through
hard work . However, for many Americans, that dream has become impossible. Due to economic
hardship, many Americans are struggling to simply provide food for their families. Upward mobility
seems elusive. Despite the fact that some believe the American Dream is still a reality, due to poor
education, unemployment, economic downturn, and economic inequality the American Dream has
become unattainable for most lower and middle class Americans. America has a massive wealth gap.
According to Chris Matthews at Fortune, "in America, the wealthiest 160,000 families own as much
wealth as the poorest 145 million families." Those rich families can afford to ... Show more content
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Simply put, college graduates are having a hard time finding jobs, and without a well–paying job it
is impossible to raise one's economic status in America. When an American graduates from college,
there is a good chance that they will not be able to find employment. This is no surprise, since "the
Great Recession and its aftermath is the longest, most severe period of economic weakness in more
than seven decades" (Davis, Gould, and Kimball). Economic downturn means fewer available jobs,
especially for those who are just entering the market, as most graduates are. According to the
Economic Policy Institute, the unemployment rate for college graduates is 7.2 percent and the
underemployment rate (the unemployment rate combined with the rate of people currently employed
part–time but seeking full–time work) is 14.9 percent. Due to the poor economic situation in
America, "many graduates are unable to take the two main paths–receiving further education or
getting more work experience–that enable future career success" (Davis, Gould, and Kimball). How
are young Americans to attain the American Dream without a successful

Causes Of Poverty In America
When a person thinks of the term "poverty" it is easy to imagine a third world country with hardly
and food or water. It is easy to imagine the children we see on the television reaching out for
assistance. While it is almost impossible to imagine that poverty is right here in America, there are
many living in poverty right under our noses. Can you believe that one of the healthiest countries
has so many of its citizens living below the poverty line? Poverty can affect people of all
socioeconomic statuses. However, it has the most detrimental and lasting effect on children. Think
about how many kids are going to bed hungry, or are teased for not being able to dress as well as the
other kids. Think about how many kids drop out of school, or suffer from health issues that are not
treated in time. Poverty in America is a serious issue because it affects children's development,
health, educational outcomes, and social mobility. Ways to improve these conditions are to promote
better healthcare, school systems, and upward mobility.
Social mobility is the movement of individuals, families, households, or other categories of people
within or between social strata in a society. B. "Economic mobility, the ability to move up or down
the economic ladder during one's lifetime and across generations, is central to the ideal of the
American Dream" (Fass et al., 2009). Poverty can affect a child's ability to move upward on the
social ladder. Children living in poverty have a harder time

Pros And Cons Of The American Dream
Can young adults today still fulfill their American Dream? This is something that is being
questioned across the nation and everyone has a different opinion. In America Now edited by Robert
Atwan, Barack Obama and other journalists state their opinion on the American Dream explaining
whether it is still possible today. The American Dream defined as "the ideal that every US citizen
should have an equal opportunity to achieve success and prosperity through hard work,
determination, and initiative." Whether the American Dream is possible or not varies from each
person, but in my experience, I believe it can be accomplished. A vast amount of students are
attending college, either a community college or a four–year college, making it possible for them to
prosper. A lot of first–generation students are seen across college campuses; I am one of those
students. Student aid such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid makes it possible for
students from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds afford college. Parents and the students do
not have to deal with the burden of trying to pay for the full cost of attendance of college. For this
reason, "... college enrollment has been rising since 2007 as well" (Tushnet 354). Students going to
college get to choose their field of study. By giving them this ability, they have more motivation to
seek success and work hard towards their goal. As a first–generation student, my American Dream is
to graduate from college with a bachelor's

Stratification : Social, Class, And Caste
Stratification: Social, Economic, Class, and Caste Social stratification is made up of hierarchical
relationships among different groups of people. It is as though people are arranged in strata, or
layers. Groups may be unequal with material resources, power, human welfare, education, and
symbolic attributes. This social stratification began with the emergence of agriculture, but is now
universally present. Stratification can be broken up into categories such as class, caste, age, and
indigeneity. There is a difference in membership within these categories that can be broken down
into ascribed and achieved positions. Society places people into different categories, defining their
status. Achieved positions are based on the qualities that the person has gained through action.
Included in an achieved position is class. "Social class refers to a person's or group's position in
society and is defined primarily in economic terms," (273). This is a secondary social group, which
means that there are too many members for them to all have a relationship with one another. Class
can be important to determining a person's status, but sometimes they have nothing to do with each
other. The textbook tells us that the class system allows for upward mobility in capitalist societies,
which some anthropologists call meritocratic individualism. On the other hand, in the structure of
the class system in an economic stratification, economic class can shape a person's lifestyle and

The Role Of The American Dream In The Great Gatsby
The term "The American Dream" was coined in 1931 by American writer James Truslow Adams
and described America as a place of opportunity based on one's ability and hard work. Although the
term originated in 1931, the fundamental ideas of the American Dream debuted in 1920's society
and contrasted greatly with previous notions of a stagnant class structure. This was due to the
booming post–WWI economy, which provided an increase in accessibility to leisure items and
activities, allowing luxuries typically reserved for the upper class to be enjoyed by the masses. F.
Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby, published in 1925, reflects these social and economic
changes. The novel follows the rise and fall of Jay Gatsby, who achieved prosperity in spite of being
born the son of a poor, North Dakota farmer. Though many believed in an emergence of class
mobility in the 1920's, the novel The Great Gatsby demonstrates the ultimate inaccessibility of the
American Dream – a holistic realization of social and economic equality. Jay Gatsby demonstrates
the progression of 1920's society, from the stagnant class structure of the past to the upwardly
mobile class fluidity of the Roaring Twenties. Gatsby, a newly–rich socialite of "Long Island, sprang
from a platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God" (Fitzgerald 104). Gatsby's self–
perceived identity as "a son of God" is the manifestation of the optimism for the emerging class
mobility in the 1920's. The idea that a poor man, such as Gatsby, could become wealthy and
prominent in society was considered by many to be impossible before the 1920's; this change was
one of the many social norms that were shattered by society's explosive adoption of the American
Dream. The recent success and wealth of the Vanderbilt family was celebrated by 1920's society as a
prime example of the American Dream's attainability. The article "The Instinct That Makes People
Rich" described the Vanderbilt family's rise to success and stated that "we can follow [the
Vanderbilt's] general methods [of achieving success]; we can seize these opportunities that are given
to us, and give ourselves a very fair chance of obtaining riches" (Instinct). The Vanderbilt family's
sudden attainment of vast

Exploratory Methods
Carry Pak
Writing of Social Sciences: Paper #3
Exploratory Essay
Other Side to Drop–Outs
Dropping out of high school is associated with multiple factors that gradually build onto an
individual. In the "Income Inequality, Social Mobility and the Decision to Drop Out of High School"
study, Kearney and Levine discussed that the socioeconomic perspective of a person is one that
plays a critical role in his/her perspective in continuing an education. Regions with a greater
difference in income inequality often come with less social mobility. High school students' choice to
drop out is often linked with a long–term exposure to low socioeconomic circumstance that
demotivated their prospect toward advancement and failure to recognize the benefits ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
In a state with a greater gap in income inequality, youths of low socioeconomic status would have
had a 30% lower income in their career compared to that of youths of the same status from states
with less inequality. Likewise, individual in the former had a 8% chance of returning to school
whereas there was a 10.6% with the latter (Kearney & Levine, 2016, pp. 347). Failing to identify
role models in low socioeconomic communities can cause one to fail to identify with college.
However, one could also be demotivated by living close to a household of higher socioeconomic
status (Kearney & Levine, 2016, pp. 348–349). It makes the prospect on financial success seem
comparatively unreachable. With lower obvious income inequality, there is a greater motivation to
strive in education because one can feel more competitive with colleagues whose capabilities are not
so superior to oneself. Ultimately, striving to achieve success through education was, as the
researchers mentioned, "most appropriately considered a cumulative measure of ability, reflecting
innate endowments, environmental influences, and the result of formal and informal human capital
investment" (Kearney & Levine, 2016). If an individual cannot overcome the obstacles that are cast
by

Social Mobility In Mexico And The United States
Social Mobility is the ability of an individual's socioeconomic status to change from one ranking of
social class to another. Social mobility is different around and some countries have less chances of
the chances of social mobility than others due to many different economic and educational factors.
Whilst analyzing Mexico and the United States of America, both countries' socioeconomic mobility
is very different. Economic factors piece an important role in producing or stopping social mobility.
Expansion of the economy creates increased upward mobility. Mexico's economic factors and other
types of cultural means makes it difficult for people in Mexico to climb the social ladder higher to
another class, thus explains and includes other studies ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Based on the historical trend of the 20th century an increase in economic earnings was observed
from the first generation to the second generations by 5–10 percent (Borjas, 2006). If the historical
trend proceeds to continue for the future, present day immigrants who face low wages will have
children that are second generation American labor workers in 2030 that could potentially face a
wage disadvantage of about 10 percent, but on average, the socioeconomic performance of offspring
of immigrants exceeds that of their parents. (Borjas, 2006). There is a larger variation in
socioeconomic status among ethnic groups in the first and second generations. Some national origin
groups, typically those originating in advanced economies, fare well in the U.S. labor market, but on
the other than other national origin groups, typically originating in poorer countries face much

President Obama Speech On Income Inequality And Economic...
On December 4, 2013, President Barack Obama addressed the nation, focusing on income inequality
and economic mobility. President Obama claimed that "The combined trends of the increased
inequality and decreasing mobility pose a fundamental threat to the American Dream, our way of
life, and what we stand for around the globe (The White House, 2013b)." President Obama also
stated that "this is the defining challenge of our time (The White House, 2013)." The "challenge" he
was referring to the ability of the economy to work for all working Americans. Currently, with the
income distribution inequality facing the United States, one could argue that the economy is not
functioning for everyone. President Obama feels that in order to decrease the income inequality and
improve mobility, the government must step in and put policies in place. Without government
intervention and implementing policies, including a raise in minimum wage, the United States will
not be able to achieve and acceptable distribution of income or an acceptable incentive for
productivity. The current distribution of income in the United States is a result of the free market
failing. According to the United States Census Bureau, the top fifth of the income earners took home
51% of the national income while the bottom fifth took home a mere 3.2% (United States of
Commerce, 2014). Income of the top fifth has been slowly increasing through the past ten years and
the bottom fifth has been slowly decreasing.

The Founders's Vision Of Political Equality And The...
Too good to be true or too hard to achieve is the writer's conclusion of how far the United States has
achieved the Founders' vision of political equality, economic opportunity, and social mobility.
Throughout centuries, the American citizens and the immigrants that moved to the United States
have lived and built their lives with the foundation of the American dream, a belief that every person
will be able to "grow to fullest development as men and women [through hard work and individual
effort]"(Adams XI). The dream that derived from the Founding Fathers' statement "that all men are
created equal, [and] they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among
these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness" and that the government is formed to protect
this right (US 1776). The Founding Fathers surely have a grand vision that the United States will
become a nation where everyone will be treated equally and the only thing that separates them from
their success in life is their own effort to achieve their wildest dream; yet in reality, a widely known
fact that man is an egotistic creature who is driven by his own self–interest made it nearly
impossible for the United States to adopt the Founders' vision of equality thoroughly. If one would
conclude, the only way for the United States to achieve the Founders' vision of political equality,
economic opportunity, and social mobility in full is by collective efficacy, a sacrificial method in
which an

Social Mobility In The House On Mango Street
Can we ever truly escape the place that we come from? Many people, especially during the most
recent election, talk about upward mobility as if people can easily change their position in life,
however this is not necessarily true. Personally, I believe that upward mobility is not as easy as
people tend to believe it is. In my family, my mother and both of her sisters are well–educated.
Though they all studied at prestigious private colleges, which hypothetically should have helped
them escape from the cycle of the lower middle class, only one of the three achieved social mobility.
A variety of factors pulled my mother and her younger sister back down, most significantly, the
situation they grew up in and the gender roles they continued ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Yes, Esperanza does appear to have both determination to leave her circumstances and an ability to
break gender roles not present in other women. However, both facts can be attributed to her young
age. Children usually seem to be more optimistic than adults; if Esperanza truly believes she could
leave she may seem more determined. Age may have sucked the optimism and determination out of
the other women on Mango Street as they came to understand their position in life would not
change. Furthermore, girls tend to experience more and more pressure to obey gender roles as they
approach sexual maturation. As Esperanza seems younger, her community may not push gender
roles on her as fiercely as they push gender roles on women. This could be the reason that Esperanza
can break gender roles while others cannot. Moreover, considering all the evidence that members of
the community find it nearly impossible to permanently escape Mango Street, the evidence that
Esperanza might leave is insignificant. To focus on Esperanza's potential to leave notwithstanding
her age, background, and the other character's inability to escape, is to ignore essential parts of the

Racial Gap And Social Mobility
Talking of race or rather ethnicity in line with its effects in today's attainment of life chances and
opportunities by individuals for social mobility, we are prompted to conceptualize on matters
appertaining to civil rights of individuals in various fields ranging from job allocations, medical
attention, education, and distribution of resources. Social mobility refers to a tier in an open system
of social strata that involves movement of various categories of people in a societal set up and
majorly highlights issues to do with these people's status characteristics. The most pernicious racial
divide in the current world is in social mobility. This is in reference to the gap that coexists between
a child born white, and a child born black. Racial gaps today are rampant in various sectors and thus
pose a reflection of disproportionate representation of black families at the lower scale of income
appendage (de Souza Briggs, 37–42). The chances of moving up or down the family income ladder
by race and parent's quintile is unequal based on the skewed income distribution by race. A society
can be in a position of high absolute mobility and also low relative mobility. The availability of at
least some social mobility is key in providing conduits to greater equality in societies with high
social inequality.
Social mobility however can typically be hypothesized in terms of its direction and distance based
on the quantity of the movement. There is complexity in trying to analyze the

The American Dream : Dead, Alive, Or On Hold?
Brandon King, a law student who majored in political science, writes on topics of inequality and
political structures in the United States. One of his published works, The American Dream: Dead,
Alive, or on Hold?, debates his interpretation of the notion of the American Dream and whether the
concept is dead, alive, or on hold. The speaker emphasizes his belief that the common phrase is still
alive within America and that one must work hard in order to achieve it. When it comes to the topic
of the American Dream, King will eagerly agree that the idea is still alive and thriving in the minds
of Americans; however, I deem that the idea is on hold within American society due to lack of
upward social position and economic mobility. To begin the analysis of whether or not the American
Dream remains the pride behind every American, one must understand the simple, yet complex two–
word phrase. This general phrase links to multiple visions and interpretations. In other words, this
phrase has a different core meaning for each individual based on their wants in life. King claims that
he would redefine the American Dream "as the potential to work for an honest, secure way of life
and save for the future" (611). The speaker is stating that in order to achieve the American Dream
one must work genuinely hard for a secure life and money that can be saved for future use. I
consider this to be a fair definition; however, what about the idea that one must have money in order
to make money? In

Social Mobility Of Poor Kids Should Depend On College...
Social Mobility of Poor Kids Should depend on College Education Andrew Simmons, author of the
article "The Danger of Telling Poor Kids That College is the Key to Social Mobility," argues that
educators have utilized one tool in the toolbox to inspire minority students into believing that their
upward social mobility is dependent on four years of college education. These educators only
considered the difference in earning power of college graduates versus high school graduates to
buttress their argument. With so much emphasis on going to college, Simmons also contends that the
educators miss the boat and end up causing harm to the poor students. There is no denying that poor
students start from disadvantaged position compared to their white counterparts in high school, their
career parts seem to via in two different directions. Many of the poor students gravitate towards the
liberal arts colleges while the privileged kids dream of medical or law schools and becoming future
doctors and lawyers. Simmons offers the study conducted by Jean Anyon as another example of how
schools teaching poor students from low–income families emphasize "keeping students busy and
managing behavior," while a middle –class school "deemphasizes individual expression and in–
depth analysis and reward the dutiful completion of specific rote tasks." Because the educators have
stressed so much on attending college, thirty–two percent of students end up with a major they never
intended to, or

Assignment 7 : Social And Economic Inequality
Assignment 7: Social and Economic Inequality For this assignment, I will be integrating the
readings on inequality and applying them to the themes that have provided the framework for our
course. I will first offer my explanation as to why it is important to understand social and economic
inequality. Then, I will explain and highlight the importance of the relationship between increasing
inequality and social and economic mobility. Third, I will relate the persistence of inequality in our
economic system discussed by Carruthers and Babb in Chapter 6 of Economy/Society to the
concepts of embeddedness and "what markets can and cannot do" discussed at the start of the
course. Last, I will offer my opinion on the policy prescriptions in The Missing Class. I believe that
it is incredibly important to understand social and economic inequality. As Carruthers and Babb
explain in Economy/Society, many arguments exist today for the presence of inequality as it relates
to economic efficiency – "without extremes of economic well–being, people wouldn't have a good
enough reason to work" (p. 129). Through being well–informed on the pernicious effects of living
on this extreme pole of economic well–being, we have the power to make an informed decision as to
whether a system that produces economic and social inequality is one we want to advocate for or
oppose. For example, Carruthers and Babb cite a study in which researchers found that "economic
inequality [made] people work less rather

The Value of a College Degree
For many families, the idea that higher education for themselves or their children will automatically
improve their social or economic status is a common one. In many situations this can be the case,
however it is not universal. Additionally, many factors come into play when analyzing how
intergenerational mobility does or does not occur. Some of these factors include existing social
class, field of study, undergraduate vs. advanced degrees, race or gender, selection of institution, and
parental resources. The general hypothesis of this study is "Is a College Degree Still the Great
Equalizer?"
This issue was the source of study by Florencia Torche at New York University. Using different
cohort groups and conducting various survey methods, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
However, this intergenerational status association is weaker among women. In the case of earnings
mobility, a similar U–shaped pattern emerges. In cases of earnings distribution, those at the extreme
ends of educational distribution show the strongest association (i.e. individuals with less than a
college degree and advanced degree holders) indicating, "a college degree appears to still be a great
equalizer among BA holders but not among advanced–degree holders" (Torche, 2011). So far, the
analysis of intergenerational mobility as it relates to class, occupational status, and earnings has
been restricted to labor market forces.
When family income mobility is studied, other factors are taken into account such as non–
occupational resources and family–level processes. Specific examples that were taken into account
included parental transfers of wealth and intergenerational reproduction as it relates to occupational
mobility. While the results of this area of study closely resemble previously discussed results, one
interesting point emerges. "The influence of parental income on sons' income level is substantial
among those without a college degree, it declines to insignificance among college graduates, and
then it regains strength among advanced degree holders..." (Torche, 2011). This brings to light the
issue of horizontal

Class Rigidity and Social Mobility
In late eighteenth and early nineteenth century England there was a sort of moral 'code' of behavior
and standards that are to be maintained by the middle and upper classes of society. Austen
realistically mirrors this 'code' through the characters and plots of her novels while showing that
social flexibility was narrow and class boundaries were strict. The topics of class stringency and
social mobility are important areas in Jane Austen's literature. We begin to see that Austen is not a
revolutionary as she supports and preserves the morals and customs of societies hierarchy. However
she often encourages and backs the emergence of new wealth permitting greater social mobility. In
Austen's world the naval and 'tradesmen' professions ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The narrative also pokes fun at Anne's father, Sir Walter Elliot for being imprudent with his money.
This suggests that Wentworth is more favorable to support Anne than Sir Walter, even though he
thinks himself highly superior to Wentworth. After Frank Churchill arrives in town Emma takes him
to shop at Ford's and says "You will be adored in Highbury. You were very popular before you came,
because you were Mr. Weston's son–" (Austen, Emma, 155). Mr. Weston was a former army captain
and earned enough money to buy his own land putting him in a higher social situation. This
quotation shows that not only is Mr. Weston associated with Highbury, he is held in high regard
there. Frank Churchill is also a very wealthy man of the trade and because of his known wealth he is
the talk of Highbury society. Through satire of the high–class society (Sir Walter), and through
approval and regard for navy and 'trade' professions as a means of social mobility, Austen shows that
the current social structure is moderately changing for the better.
Although there are benefits of social mobility from new wealth peoples and patrons, tradition in
maintaining class structure is imperative and belonging to a class should be accompanied with
finances. After Mr. Elton proposes to Emma, the narrator attempts to understand Mr. Elton's
motives.
Perhaps it was not fair to expect him to feel how very much he was her inferior in talent, and all the
elegancies

Social And Economic Mobility : The Usa As The American...
I.Introduction. One of the most important principles in American society is social and economic
mobility, otherwise known in the USA as the American Dream. This principle states that if one
works hard, they can make it to the top no matter where you start. Depiction of this ideal is very
common, where someone starts at the very bottom of the socioeconomic totem pole, yet through
hard work and perseverance, becomes highly successful. This principle was born out of American
protestant ethic, where it is believed that hard work will earn you riches and vice versa that your
riches and success is a tell of your work ethic. However, this depiction is not typical in American
society, where only a small amount of those who compose the lowest earners become the highest
earners. Many factors contribute to one's prospects for upward mobility, such as parent income,
education, and occupation. However, there appears to be one factor in particular that can prevent one
from becoming successful, no matter how hard they work, that being their race. It is typically well
known that there are certain societal disadvantages associated with being a race other than non–
Hispanic White. This idea that your race can affect your future success very much countervails
American protestant ethic, and proceeds to feed into the racist portrayal of minorities as "lazy" or
"freeloaders". The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect that race has on one 's potential for
upward socioeconomic mobility. As

Social Stratification & Mobility Essay
Social Stratification & Mobility
Individuals in today's society are separated by many different factors such as race, ethnicity, gender,
and economic status. Another form of separation is that of stratification. There are four major
systems of stratification slavery, caste, estate, and class. "Social stratification means the
differentiation of a given population into hierarchically superposed classes."(Sorokin, 1964, p. 11)
Stratification can either be in the form of an open or closed system. The closed system is one that
allows minimal to no movement within the system. The open system is just the opposite it allows for
varying degrees of movement throughout the system. There are many ways to break down the social
stratification of ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This movement is called social mobility "By social mobility is understood any transition of an
individual or social object or value– anything that has been created or modified by human activity–
from on social position to another."(Sorokin, 1964, p. 133) This change in class is not always related
to money or economic change. In some cultures an individual may ascertain great wealth in their life
time but not be accepted into a higher class status. On the other hand a person who loses economic
status is still revered as elite. This inability to move from one class to another is mostly observed in
the estate system and the class system. There are two fundamental ways in which a person can be
mobile within society either horizontal or vertical.
In horizontal mobility individuals make what is considered a lateral move within society. "By
horizontal social mobility or shifting, is meant the transition of an individual or social object from
one social group to another situated at the same level."(Sorokin, 1964, p. 133) This transition can be
related to a Horizontal mobility allows individuals to have opportunity to choose a vocation and not
be condemned to that of their parent(s). This option of lateral movement does not always require
higher education, political affiliation, or economic status. The individual stays at the same level of
class recognition, but has the option of choosing form a

Cultural Mobility In America
In the United States, there were many immigrants, and there were opportunities to get jobs for
immigrants. Therefore, many immigrants believed that they spend better life in the U.S. than they
spend life in the home country. It is very important that cultural and social mobility increase in
citizens, especially poor people, and I foresee a time when I will be economically mobile for several
reasons.
Cultural mobility is closely related to people's life. "Cultural mobility provides entrance to various
institutions, goods, services, and practices" (Beato 350). Nowadays, cultural mobility is increasing
in the U.S. because technology is developing, and technology development helps to improve cultural
mobility. Increasing cultural mobility helps ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
In the United States, in the past, social mobility was low, so poor people were not able to move out
of poverty. For example, a poor parents' child becomes a poor adult because parents do not have
enough money for a child's education. Likewise, "A child born into a low–income home hears 30
million fewer words than a child from a well–off family" (Obama 342). As a result, a child is not
educated, and a child cannot get a job that earns an average income, so this awful cycle continues.
However, some presidents solved social issues for poor people. "Abraham Lincoln started a system
of land grant colleges all over this country so that any poor man's son could go learn something
new" (Obama 339). Also, "When millions died without health insurance, LBJ fought for Medicare
and Medicaid" (Obama 339). Therefore, social mobility started to increase. Some new jobs
appeared, and it also helped to increase social mobility. As a result, citizens' life became better and
better. People call this environment the American Dream. "The American dream is that if you work
hard, you have a chance to get achieve" (Obama 338).
However, Barack Obama argues that social mobility is decreasing recently. Also, "Decreasing
mobility poses a fundamental threat to the American dream" (Obama 341). He thinks the American
Dream is disappearing. However, Obama's argument is not correct because social mobility is
increasing bit by bit. "Two Harvard economists, two Berkeley economists, and one U.S. Treasury
economist failed to find decreasing economic mobility" (Beato 349). For example, people's average
income is higher than before generation's average income, so the American Dream is not

The Working Poor: The American Myth
The possibility of economic mobility is a widely shared belief in the United States. A central part of
the American Dream is the belief that with hard work anything can be achieved. In The Working
Poor: Invisible in America, Shipler states, "The American Myth still supposes that any individual
from the humblest origins can climb to wellbeing... The myth has its value. It sets a demanding
standard, both for the nation and for every resident. But the American Myth also provides a means
of laying blame" (Shipler 5). In addition, evidence suggests this deeply held belief is not accurate.
Over time, fewer Americans control more and more of the nation's resources and wealth, and as the
gap between the rich and poor has increased, economic mobility ... Show more content on
Helpwriting.net ...
Although it is not difficult for the wealthy to increase their wealth, for those in or near poverty, the
possibility of economic mobility becomes nearly impossible. The federal minimum wage in the
United States is seven dollars and twenty–five cents per hour, however, that wage falls far below
what has been determined to be a living wage. Using MIT's living wage calculator, the minimum
salary for a family of four with two adults working minimum wage jobs would need to increase
between $15,000 and $40,000 to achieve an income that is considered "livable." The probability of
an individual bettering their situation financially, when they can't even afford to live above poverty,
is highly unlikely. Ehrenreich, the author of Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America,
conducted a social experiment, putting herself in the life of the working poor, presenting how it is
essentially impossible to live comfortably while working a minimum wage job. In the book, she
shows the daily struggles of the working poor while contrasting it with her day to day life. Despite
the flaws of her social experiment, she is able to present some of the invisible struggles of those in
poverty. Her findings align with Shipler's observations about home environment and the other
factors that contribute to decreased upward mobility for those in poverty. In The Working Poor,
Shipler highlights some of the critical factors that limit upward mobility for the poor, such as
education. Shipler explains that both poor education systems and having parents who did not
graduate from high school decrease graduation rates and opportunities later in life. In addition,
stressful living situations, to include abuse and addictions, greatly affect children and often have
repercussions in later life. Ehrenreich is able to effectively present the issues in the industries that
employ minimum wage workers

Immigration Assimilation
America is largely made up of immigrants, and thus it is referred to by many as an immigrant's
nation. The rise in immigrants of the first generation and those of second or third generation is
changing the demographics of the United States each day. Duncan and Stephen observe that about "a
quarter of U.S. residents are either first–generation immigrants or the second–generation children of
immigrants" (109). Most of these immigrants move to the country with the aim of achieving the
American dream through career success. We would like to believe that the nation follows through
with its American ideology that immigrants are welcomed with open arms, and they will have
economic opportunities. However, the process of integration and assimilation of these immigrants
has for long been a common debate question. The immigration waves into the United States have
occurred in several waves over the past years. In the earlier years, most of the immigrants were from
Europe and their assimilation was rather smooth. But, the recent wave of immigrants groups
prevalently from Asia and Latin America do not face similar acceptance and open arms as their
predecessors.
Additionally, the aspirations of most immigrants are that they will have upward mobility when they
get into the United States, but unfortunately, in several instances, they may face unexpected
downward mobility. Downward mobility may occur due to many factors. The socioeconomic
mobility of immigrants is largely determined by the

Shedding Light on the Reasons for Inequality in Stuck in...
In his book, Stuck in Place: Urban Neighborhood and the End of Progress toward Racial Equality,
Patrick Sharkey sheds a light on wide range of reasons that contribute to the persistent racial
inequality among the American society. He also draws attention to the intergenerational
neighborhood effects on mobility level (the ability to move upward, or downward in terms of the
economic status, education, and occupation) of the residents of destitute areas. In this extension, I
am going to present a study that was done on 14 Bangalore slum communities in India, and
highlight the main issues that Sharkey included in his book. In the beginning of the book, Sharkey
mentioned the idea that people are usually stuck in destitute areas for multiple generations. The
inheritance of disadvantaged conditions same applies with slum dwellers in Bangalore. The study
"Stuck in Place: Investigating Social Mobility in 14 Bangalore Slums" by Krishna found that
majority of slum dwellers have lived in slum communities, for more than four consecutive
generations in the same living conditions. There are myriad of factors that contribute to the
noticeable inheritance of disadvantage living, the most notable one mentioned by Sharkey is
preference. Since India has a system of stratification as a part of the social structure of the society,
the study found that people who live in slums prefer to be in places that share familiar contextual
environment. Venturing outside the community borders is not

The Coalition For The Future Of Detroit Schoolchildren
With the workforce becoming more competitive in today's economy, the educational requirements
have increased. By the year 2020, approximately 65% of all jobs in the United States will require a
postsecondary education and/or further training proceeding high school education ("Recovery").
One thing that is not increasing is the rate of college enrollment of students from the Detroit Public
Schools or college enrollment in general. There are many factors that contribute to this problem, just
as there are also many solutions that may help assuage it. The main reason why students from
Detroit Public Schools are not enrolling in postsecondary education institutions has to do with their
financial situation.
There has been many attempts to solving this problem, on all different types of levels. Local levels
with committees and coalitions such as The Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren have
been striving towards a solution. For a strong coalition, there needs to be adequate human resources.
This means the number of people involved and the power of the people involved (Graham, 181).
The Coalition for the Future of Detroit Schoolchildren has regular citizens such as concerned
parents, people on the school board, and also people with connections to higher powers. On the state
level, there is Governor Rick Snyder putting more emphasis and promoting more blue collared jobs
that only require skills training. Since this problem exists throughout the nation and crosses state

Social Mobility In America
It has become more realistic to believe that a person who grew up in poverty is likely to move up
into a higher class position throughout their life. Studying social mobility helps to answer this
question. Being that the United States is called "the land of opportunity" it can be said that there is
plenty of room for social mobility in America. However, this has been a question of debate among
Americans for years. While some citizens of America may believe social mobility has stayed
consistent through the centuries, in fact, it is more realistic for people to achieve today. Social
mobility defines how an individual or group moves up and down social classes depending on
wealth, income, or occupation. This is often studied by looking at the social mobility changes over
centuries. Compared to past centuries, social mobility in America has increased. Emily Beller, a
PhD candidate in sociology and Michael Hoot, a professor of sociology at the University of
California, Barkley argues that, "A tremendous number of Americans seized on countless
professional opportunities and found themselves immediately moving into a higher social and
economic standing" (Beller & Hout, 2006). In 21st century America there are more opportunities for
jobs than in past centuries. Oftentimes, jobs allow workers to move up to higher positions that pay
better money which helps with the increase in social mobility. With the growing of business in the
21st century comes the opportunity of not only getting

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