The Geography of Intergenerational Educational Mobility in Italy: Trends and Socioeconomic Correlates

This study explores the evolution of intergenerational educational mobility across Italian regions using Bank of Italy survey data, covering seven ten-year cohorts beginning with individuals born in the 1920s. The results show a substantial increase in educational mobility over the past century, though this progress appears to have stalled for the youngest cohorts. Mobility is highest in the Northeast and Central regions, followed by the Northwest and South. We further investigate the relationship between intergenerational educational mobility (from the 1930–1939 cohort to the 1980–1994 cohort) and various regional socio-economic factors. A panel analysis, both with and without fixed effects, reveals a positive correlation between regional estimates of intergenerational mobility and GDP per capita, social capital indicators and the quality of education. Lastly, a positive correlation emerges between intergenerational educational persistence and educational inequality, aligning with the well-known "Great Gatsby curve" observed across countries.