Political integration by a detour? Ethnic communities and social capital of migrants in Berlin

This article investigates the impact of associational participation of migrants on their political integration in Berlin. Using survey data, we focus on the individual level to see whether migrants who are active in German and/or ethnic organisations are better integrated politically. We test the social capital argument that participation in voluntary organisations is beneficial for political integration and investigate the empirical side of the often normatively-based fear that ethnic self-organisation is a danger to the integration of ethnic groups in the receiving society. We could not find a clear-cut answer to this question. Participation in German organisations does indeed support integration, but the effects of participation in ethnic organisations are more ambiguous: migrants active in ethnic organisations are more politically active, but not more interested in German politics, than migrants who are not active in ethnic organisations. Furthermore, we conclude that the mechanisms behind the social capital argument are different for the ethnic groups under study. © 2004 Taylor and Francis Ltd

Experienced discrimination amongst European old citizens

This study analyses the experienced age discrimination of old European citizens and the factors related to this discrimination. Differences in experienced discrimination between old citizens of different European countries are explored. Data from the 2008 ESS survey are used. Old age is defined as being 62 years or older. The survey data come from 28 European countries and 14,364 old-age citizens. Their average age is 72 years. Factor analysis is used to construct the core variable ‘experienced discrimination’. The influence of the independent variables on experienced discrimination is analysed using linear regression analysis. About one-quarter of old European citizens sometimes or frequently experience discrimination because of their age. Gender, education, income and belonging to a minority are related to experienced age discrimination. Satisfaction with life and subjective health are strongly associated with experienced age discrimination, as is trust in other people and the seriousness of age discrimination in the country. Large, significant differences in experienced discrimination due to old age exist between European countries. A north-west versus south-east European gradient is found in experienced discrimination due to old age. The socio-cultural context is important in explaining experienced age discrimination in old European citizens. Old-age discrimination is experienced less frequently in countries with social security arrangements. Further research is needed to understand the variation in (old) age discrimination between European countries. Measures recommended include increasing public awareness about the value of ageing for communities and changing public attitudes towards the old in a positive way

Foreigners, naturalized people and the problems of a realistic integration stock-taking

Wilkening F, Salentin K. Ausländer, Eingebürgerte und das Problem einer realistischen Zuwanderer-Integrationsbilanz. Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie. 2003;55(2):278-298.The use of the legal term "foreigner" in German official statistics and in sociological research on migration and integration is questioned. During the 1990s, naturalization has created a gap between the numbers of migrants and of foreigners. Legal and administrative factors cause an unobserved selectivity in the process of naturalization and increasingly blur the meaning of citizenship for social science purposes. Drawing on two German survey samples, the article reveals a considerably more favorable socio-economic placement of naturalized persons compared with foreigners of the same origin. Any stock-taking based on foreigners alone would exclude the most successful migrants in terms of education, labor market participation and income, and depict the participation of the immigrated population as overly deficient. An appropriate representation of naturalized people in official statistics is called for