Comparing patterns of intergenerational class mobility using log-linear models: evidence from seven countries, two cohorts, and gendered stratification

Intergenerational class mobility remains a central indicator of social openness and stratification dynamics. Comparative analyses increasingly show that mobility patterns vary across national contexts, welfare regimes, birth cohorts, and gender structures. However, few studies simultaneously assess these dimensions using harmonized class schemas and modeling frameworks across multiple countries and controlling multiple layers in loglinear models. This study examines intergenerational class mobility using harmonized mobility tables linking respondents' social class of origin and social class of destination across seven countries: Mexico, Chile, Uruguay, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The analysis includes two birth cohorts (1930–1975 and 1976–1990) and gender. A sequence of log-linear models was estimated, including a conditional independence model as the baseline model, constant social fluidity (homogeneous association) models, and uniform difference models to assess whether, and to what extent, the association between origin and destination varies across country, cohort, and gender layers. Baseline models showed poor fit, indicating strong intergenerational class persistence. Constant social fluidity models substantially improved fit, suggesting stable structures of association. Uniform difference estimates revealed patterned variability across countries, with Mexico and Chile showing stronger class inheritance, and Sweden and the United Kingdom displaying comparably weaker associations. Gender and cohort differences were present, though less pronounced and not uniform across countries. Findings provide comparative evidence of both stability and structured variation in mobility patterns across national contexts. The results highlight the importance of jointly analyzing countries, cohorts, and gender when evaluating class mobility regimes.