Sociology Plus
Oxford Mobility Study Definition
The Oxford mobility study was a large-scale sociological survey conducted in Britain, primarily by Goldthorpe and the Nuffield team, which investigated patterns of social mobility over time. The researchers claimed their findings indicated a considerable rise in rates of social mobility following World War II. This increase was largely attributed to shifts in the occupational structure; as occupational change slowed down, the study suggested that this process left behind a self-recruiting and more homogeneous working class. A central feature identified by the Oxford study regarding this movement was that it constituted forced mobility.
Origins and Methodology
The study originated from a large-scale survey designed to examine social mobility within the context of British society following the Second World War. It involved extensive data collection to track changes in social status and occupational positions across the population during this period.
Key Findings
The primary conclusion drawn by the researchers was that the observed increase in social mobility was not purely organic but was largely a consequence of structural changes within the economy, specifically alterations to the occupational structure.
Core Concept: Forced Mobility
The most significant theoretical contribution of the Oxford study was its assertion that the observed social mobility was fundamentally ‘forced mobility’, implying that movement between social strata was compelled by external economic and occupational forces rather than being purely voluntary or free.