SOCIAL MOBILITY IN THE CONTEXT OF THE CAPABILITIES APPROACH

Abstract

The article examines the impact of disruptive changes, including war, forced migration, and demographic transformation, on social mobility through the lens of the opportunities approach. It argues that traditional approaches to analysing social mobility, focused primarily on income and formal education, are insufficient in the context of contemporary transformations characterised by uncertainty, instability, and structural shifts in the labour market. A conceptual model is proposed in which social mobility is understood as the result of the interaction between multidimensional skills, social capital, and institutional conditions that shape access to opportunities. The study demonstrates that disruptive changes lead to a narrowing and uneven distribution of opportunities, as well as to shifts in the demand for skills, which transform the trajectories of social mobility and increase the risks of downward and unstable mobility. Particular attention is given to the role of basic and transferable competences, especially digital, social, and civic, as key factors in enabling adaptation, resilience, and integration into changing socio-economic conditions. The paper highlights the importance of adult education and lifelong learning as essential mechanisms for maintaining and restoring social mobility, particularly for vulnerable population groups affected by displacement, labour market disruptions, and human capital depreciation. In addition, migration is analysed not only as a movement of people but also as a channel for the transfer of knowledge, skills, and social practices, contributing to the development of human capital. It is emphasised that, in the context of Ukraine’s post-war recovery, demographic shifts, and the emergence of the “silver economy”, the development of inclusive and flexible skills policies becomes critically important. Incorporating European Union approaches to human capital development, lifelong learning, and inclusive labour markets is identified as a key prerequisite for ensuring Ukraine’s integration into the European socio-economic space.