While it is known that socioeconomic outcomes are correlated across generations, the mechanisms by which this happens are still poorly understood. The EU-supported project UNITRAN adopted a cross-disciplinary perspective to refresh existing theories and empirical evidence.
Intergenerational transmissions refer to the ways in which parents pass endowments and resources, such as health, abilities and preferences, on to their children. If policies to reduce inequality are to be successful, how disenabling transmissions - such as poor educational outcomes – operate, have to be better grasped so that the negative cycles can be broken.
Further details: How insights into intergenerational transmission can increase social mobility