Intergenerational Social Mobility in Latin America: A Review of Existing Evidence

This article reviews evidence on intergenerational social mobility in Latin America. Results indicate that mobility is low in the Region. The evidence also suggests high levels of immobility at the income distribution's lower and upper tails. While intergenerational education mobility has improved in recent decades, which may increase income mobility for younger populations, overall the Region still presents lower intergenerational social mobility. These results may be associated with social exclusion, low access to higher education, and labor market discrimination.