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Social mobility among Christian Africans: evidence from Anglican marriage registers in Uganda, 1895–2011 by Felix Meier zu Selhausen; Marco H. D. van Leeuwen; Jacob L. Weisdorf is a Economics, Econometrics and Finance article available to read on EtoBox.

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## Abstract This article uses Anglican marriage registers from colonial and post‐colonial Uganda to investigate long‐term trends and determinants of intergenerational social mobility and colonial elite formation among Christian African men. It shows that the colonial era opened up new labour opportunities for these African converts, enabling them to take large steps up the social ladder regardless of their social origin. Contrary to the widespread belief that British indirect rule perpetuated the power of African political elites (chiefs), this article shows that a remarkably fluid colonial labour economy actually undermined their social advantages. Sons of chiefs gradually lost their high social‐status monopoly to a new, commercially orientated, and well‐educated class of Anglican Ugandans, who mostly came from non‐elite and sometimes even lower‐class backgrounds. The study also documents that the colonial administration and the Anglican mission functioned as key steps on the ladder to upward mobility. Mission education helped provide the skills and social reference needed to climb the ladder in exchange for compliance with the laws of the Anglican Church. These social mobility pa

Who reads Social mobility among Christian Africans: evidence from Anglican marriage registers in Uganda, 1895–2011?

Author

Felix Meier zu Selhausen; Marco H. D. van Leeuwen; Jacob L. Weisdorf

Publisher

Wiley

Published

2017

Language

EN

Field

Economics, Econometrics and Finance (Social Sciences)