“My Grandparents' Backgrounds Were Very Different....”. Ruptures and Non-Linear Trajectories in Intergenerational Class (im)Mobility in Poland

This presentation is based on the analysis of the biographical-narrative interviews with academics, artists, and business managers, examining how their current professional statuses reflect two divergent paths: upward mobility for those from working-class backgrounds and class reproduction for those continuing their parents' careers. A significant observation from this analysis is the complexity and non-linearity of intergenerational class mobility and reproduction when considering the social statuses of both parents and grandparents.

The individual experiences revealed a heterogeneous and sometimes contradictory set of resources employed in shaping life, career trajectories and obtaining prestigious occupational positions. To fully grasp these life narratives, it's essential to consider the historical and geographical contexts. Given that the interviews were conducted in Poland, the impacts of significant events such as World War II, subsequent introduction of authoritarian socialism and the post-1989 transition are crucial, as they frame the family experiences of the interviewees—ranging from loss of wealth and social status to sudden economic success.

To delve deeper into the interplay between individual narratives and broader social history, the presentation will spotlight four selected case studies. This examination of how personal experiences intersect with macro-historical contexts in Poland highlights the necessity of historical contextualization in class studies. Therefore, it reflects on the significant contribution of qualitative (e.g. biographical) approaches in studies on class structure. Moreover, it illustrates potential challenges of applying the theoretical models developed in Western capitalist countries while studying nations with distinct historical trajectories.

The empirical material was collected in the framework of two research projects: "Crossing (in)visible boundaries: Experiencing upward mobility in individuals' biographies." (2020-2021), and “RaM-CLASS. Class reproduction and mobility - biographical experiences in academic, artistic, and business fields” (2023-ongoing).