Systemic and Reflexive: Foundations of Cumulative Dis/Advantage and Life-Course Processes

Cumulative dis/advantage has been defined as the systemic tendency for interindividual divergence in a given characteristic to increase with the passage of time. Over recent decades, evidence supporting cumulative dis/advantage (CDA) as a cohort-based process that produces inequalities on a range of life-course outcomes has steadily increased. This paper reviews this growing body of work, grounding the discussion in CDA's foundation as a general sociological construct with broad relevance. I emphasize the distinction between outcome and process, and then distinguish multiple levels of social analysis at which CDA operates. From this review, I extract two principles, endogenous system dynamics and life-course reflexivity, that can be cross-classified to provide a framework for analyzing contemporary research frameworks and initiatives relevant to CDA. I argue that the full sociological impact and implications of CDA research has been unevenly developed and applied, and conclude by suggesting some possible directions for further building on CDA's insights.