Social mobility is a socio-structural concept that refers to the ability of an individual or group to move between different positions in the social hierarchy over time. It includes both symbolic and material changes, such as gaining access to educational and economic resources, gaining social recognition, or being subject to different forms of discrimination and exclusion. A focus on structural arrangements and individual or collective power divisions is fundamental for understanding social mobility as it is largely shaped by structural factors such as wealth distribution, education, labour markets or access to political power. Social mobility affects the ability for individuals to access resources and opportunities to achieve equality and social justice.

See also: economic justice, power relation, human right, global south, global north