Patterns of Socio-Economic Mobility in Rural Bangladesh

Lessons from Life-History Interviews

This paper examines patterns of socio-economic mobility by using data from 293 life-history interviews conducted in eight districts in rural Bangladesh. The mobility is examined as the product of interactions between positive and negative endowments and life events. Ultimately, the life-history interviews show how people with low levels of key endowments were less able to cope with common downward pressures or to exploit key opportunities. People with poor endowments of assets or capabilities also often employed destructive coping strategies while people with higher initial levels of key endowments coped better.

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