This paper analyzes the determinants of social mobility for men and women in Brazil in 1982 and 1996, based on status attainment regressions and multinomial conditional logistic models. We are especially interested in the way social origins, race, and education shape inequalities of opportunities. The main result is that education is the one truly important variable, although its returns are rapidly diminishing, which accounts for almost all of the increase in social fluidity during this period. Race and social origins may play a large role in determining educational attainment, but, once in the labor market, they are of less importance. No relevant interactions were detected, which entails that returns to education do not vary by race. The patterns of social mobility are very similar for both men and women.
Social mobility; Inequality of opportunities; Racial inequality; Class analysis
