Contexts of Social Mobility

<p>This book contains a major statement by one of America's most preeminent sociologists on what remains an important problem in American history and social analysis: the nature and extent of movement within American society from one status to another. The most important images of mobility involve self-improvement by changing location (going to the frontier coming to the big city) and by changing social class (second-generation immigrants). Almost all sociological and historical analysis has been limited to these themes.</p><p>Strauss extends the concept to a wide range of ideologies institutional contexts and social movements; his analysis is based on a formal theory of status passage and develops a partial theory of mobility. Strauss addresses a theme that underscores much of one strand of his work: the changing articulation of individuals with their social structure and institutions.</p><p>The book follows on from the theoretical presuppositions of <em>Discovery of Grounded Theory</em> and the formal theory presented in <em>Status Passage</em>. Strauss was continually concerned with American social and intellectual life in its historical and contemporary manifestations. No one else has looked at the important phenomenon of mobility in this broad a context and from this point of view. The book remains important to those concerned with the social history of America and with problems of social change.</p>