The American Occupational Structure

work by Duncan and Blau

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July 15, 2026

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The American Occupational Structure (1967) by Peter M. Blau and Otis Dudley Duncan is a seminal work in sociology that examines work-related mobility patterns in the United States. This study was the first national intergenerational survey to analyze how factors such as family background, education, race, and region influence men's occupational mobility. The book advanced the understanding of social stratification by using an attainment model, which measures how individuals achieve occupational status and the distance between sons' and fathers' socioeconomic scores. This research was influential in shaping the study of social stratification and the development of statistical techniques in sociology.12

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Otis Dudley Duncan
Duncan’s widely referenced The American Occupational Structure (1967; with Peter M. Blau) advanced scientific understanding of the structure and development of work-related mobility patterns in the United States. It was the first national intergenerational survey to represent the influences of family background, education, race, region, size of community,…
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Duncan’s widely referenced The American Occupational Structure (1967; with Peter M. Blau) advanced scientific understanding of the structure and development of work-related mobility patterns in the United States. It was the first national intergenerational survey to represent the influences of family background, education, race, region, size of community,…
Read More