The UNIMOB research project focuses on patterns of social mobility driven by higher education in first-generation university students. By comparing the educational and career paths of Roma and non-Roma individuals from an intersectional perspective, we aim to understand both the benefits and the emotional and social costs of the social elevator experience.

Based on interviews and focus groups conducted with Roma and non-Roma people who are the first in their families to pursue higher education, UNIMOB aims to identify the structural, institutional, and socio-cultural conditions that affect how individuals perceive and experience access to the middle class. This includes factors that affect both Roma and non-Roma populations within the Catalan and Spanish contexts.

Relevance of UNIMOB

UNIMOB stands out for its relevance and innovation, as it explores the dilemmas and tensions generated by social mobility, which is often presented as a destination rather than a process. In other words, we aim to provide a complex view of this process. Additionally, the project investigates the distinctive mobility experiences faced by racialized and stigmatized minorities, such as the Roma people. Furthermore, UNIMOB examines the specific strategies developed by Roma individuals throughout their upward social mobility trajectories, in contrast to the experiences of the non-Roma majority. Recognizing the relevance of the social and institutional environment, the research is conducted in two regions: Catalonia and Andalusia.

UNIMOB aims to offer a deeper understanding of the unique aspects associated with the ‘distinctive mobility trajectory of minorities’, providing a groundbreaking perspective on the conditions and challenges of this process.