Life Course | Korea Inequality Research Network

Past colloquium

Intergenerational Social Mobility and Demographic Behaviors in South Korea: How Do Relative and Absolute Social Mobility Matter in a Lowest-Low Fertility Context?

Colloquium in September 2025 Dohoon Lee (Seoul National University) How does intergenerational social mobility matter for family formation and childbearing? To address this question, this study (1) distinguishes between relative and absolute mobility; (2) conceptualizes intergenerational mobility as a central social contextual factor shaping demographic behaviors; and (3) empirically evaluates Read more…

By KIRN, 4 months3 months ago

Past colloquium

The Limited Role of Personal Goal Striving in Status Attainment (Joint Work with Jani Erola)

Colloquium in Feb. 2023 Hye Won Kwon (Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Turku, Finland) Despite evidence of declining intergenerational mobility, recent studies have shown a rising trend of meritocratic belief (e.g., hard work pays off) among American adults. However, as scholarly attention has been focused on the power of adolescent beliefs Read more…

By KIRN, 3 years ago

Recent Studies

Now are Korean women happier than in the past?

Kim, Ee Sun and Keong Suk Park. 2019. “Life Course of Korean Women: Conflictual Gender Differentiation and Enforced Classification.” ECONOMY AND SOCIETY 122: 138-170. Korean women’s aspirations and practices for gender equality have been increasingly prevalent. However, the foundation of life is growing fragmented according to economic stratification, and family Read more…

By KIRN, 6 years ago