| Lecture: A Comparative Study of Social Mobility of Middle Classes in Japan and Korea |
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Yoshimichi Sato, Professor, Tohoku University
Thursday, December 3, 4:30 pm, Anneberg School 111
We study intergenerational and intra-generational mobility of new and old middle classes in Japan and Korea to analyze the effect of globalization on local institutions in the labor market. Our theoretical argument is as follows. First, Japan's increasing exposure to globalization has increased fluidity in its labor market because globalization has weakened local institutions such as the long-term employment system that have protected middle classes. Thus social mobility of new and old middle classes has increased. Second, Korea has experienced the impact of globalization earlier than Japan. Thus social mobility of new and old middle classes in Korea has also increased. However, our empirical analysis of data on social mobility in the two societies shows that our theoretical argument is not valid. We found high fluidity only in Korean old middle class in terms of its decreasing self-retention rates in intergenerational and intra-generational mobility. New middle class in Japan and Korea show stability or lower fluidity. Japanese old middle class shows increasing closeness.
Korean Studies Colloquium and Issues in Contemporary East Asia Lecture Series
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