Invisible Barriers: Unpacking Why Universal Welfare Fails to Equalize Social Mobility

Heckman and Landersø (2021) show that even in Denmark’s model welfare state, family background still strongly predicts outcomes—contradicting the expectation that universal access erases inequalities. This project would systematically map the "invisible barriers" that persist under universalist regimes, such as differential program utilization, cultural capital, and social network effects. By combining qualitative fieldwork with administrative data, the research could unearth the fine-grained processes—like how more-advantaged families navigate and shape access to resources (see also the discussion in the Context, Heuristic: Investigate deviations from expectations). This approach brings together policy analysis, sociology of education, and behavioral economics, offering policymakers nuanced levers to target the 'last mile' of inequality. It moves beyond the "policy access" lens to one of "policy navigation," a perspective rarely centered in the literature.

References:

1. Lessons from Denmark About Inequality and Social Mobility. J. Heckman, Rasmus Landersø (2021). Social Science Research Network.
2. Lessons from Denmark About Inequality and Social Mobility. J. Heckman, Rasmus Landersø (2021). Social Science Research Network.