A Life-Course Perspective on Migration and Integration

Over the last four decades the sociological life course approach with its focus on the interplay of structure and agency over time life course perspective has become an important research perspective in the social sciences. Yet, while it has successfully been applied to almost all fields of social inquiry it is much less used in research studying migrant populations and their integration patterns. This is puzzling since understanding immigrants' integration requires just the kind of dynamic research approach this approach puts forward: any integration theory actually refers to life course processes. This volume shows fruitful cross-linkages between the two research traditions.

A range of studies are presented that all apply sociological life course concepts to research on migrants and migrant groups in Europe. The book is organized thematically, indicating different important domains in the life course. Using a wide variety of methodological approaches, it covers both quantitative studies based on population census data and survey material as well as qualitative studies based on interviews. Attention is paid to the life courses of those who migrated themselves as well as their offspring. The studies cover different European countries, relating to one national context or a particular local setting in a city as well as cross-country comparisons. Overall the book shows that applying the sociological life course approach to migration and integration research may advance our understanding of immigrant settlement patterns as well as further develop the life course perspective

List of contents

1. Matthias Wingens / Helga de Valk / Michael Windzio / Can Aybek:The sociological life course approach and research on migration and integration.- 2. Janina Söhn: Immigrants' educational attainment: a closer look at the age-at-migration effect.- 3. Can Aybek: Varying hurdles for low-skilled youth on the way to the labour market.- 4. Irena Kogan / Frank Kalter / Elisabeth Liebau / Yinon Cohen: Individual resources and structural constraints in immigrants' labour market integration.- 5. Karin Schittenhelm:Overcoming barriers. Career trajectories of highly skilled members of the German second generation.- 6. Rossalina Latcheva / Barbara Herzog-Punzenberger: Integration trajectories - a mixed method approach.- 7. Ingrid Tucci:National context and logic of social distancing: children of immigrants in France and Germany.- 8. Helga de Valk: Paths to adulthood: A focus on the children of immigrants in the Netherlands.- 9. Michael Windzio: Linked life-events. Leaving parental home in Turkish immigrant and native families in Germany.- 10. Raya Muttarak: Occupational mobility in the life course of intermarried ethnic minorities.- 11. Andreas Farwick:The effect of ethnic segregation on the process of assimilation.- 12. Reinhard Schunck: Immigrant integration, transnational activities and the life course.- 13. Helga de Valk / Michael Windzio / Matthias Wingens / Can Aybek:Immigrant settlement and the life course: an exchange of research perspectives and outlook for the future.

About the author

Matthias Wingens, geb. 1956, ist wissenschaftlicher Oberassistent am Institut für Empirische und Angewandte Soziologie der Universität Bremen und am Sonderforschungsbereich 186. Seine Arbeitsschwerpunkte sind Allgemeine Soziologie und Gesellschaftstheorie, Bildungsforschung, Wissenschafts- und Techniksoziologie, Lebenslauf und Biographie.

Michael Windzio ist wissenschaftlicher Assistent am Institut für empirische und angewandte Soziologie (EMPAS) der Universität Bremen.

Summary

Over the last four decades the sociological life course approach with its focus on the interplay of structure and agency over time life course perspective has become an important research perspective in the social sciences. Yet, while it has successfully been applied to almost all fields of social inquiry it is much less used in research studying migrant populations and their integration patterns. This is puzzling since understanding immigrants’ integration requires just the kind of dynamic research approach this approach puts forward: any integration theory actually refers to life course processes. This volume shows fruitful cross-linkages between the two research traditions.
A range of studies are presented that all apply sociological life course concepts to research on migrants and migrant groups in Europe. The book is organized thematically, indicating different important domains in the life course. Using a wide variety of methodological approaches, it covers both quantitative studies based on population census data and survey material as well as qualitative studies based on interviews. Attention is paid to the life courses of those who migrated themselves as well as their offspring. The studies cover different European countries, relating to one national context or a particular local setting in a city as well as cross-country comparisons. Overall the book shows that applying the sociological life course approach to migration and integration research may advance our understanding of immigrant settlement patterns as well as further develop the life course perspective

Additional text

From the reviews:
“‘A Life-Course Perspective on Migration and Integration’ is an edited volume that compiles a number of articles on immigrants’ integration. … Unlike many edited books, this volume has a clear theoretical message and a visible red thread. … the volume does a good job in showing that the life course approach is something between a helpful reminder of the theoretical principles that should guide empirical integration research and a magic bullet for those interested in the topic.” (Claudia Diehl, European Journal of Population, Vol. 28, 2012)

Report

From the reviews:

"'A Life-Course Perspective on Migration and Integration' is an edited volume that compiles a number of articles on immigrants' integration. ... Unlike many edited books, this volume has a clear theoretical message and a visible red thread. ... the volume does a good job in showing that the life course approach is something between a helpful reminder of the theoretical principles that should guide empirical integration research and a magic bullet for those interested in the topic." (Claudia Diehl, European Journal of Population, Vol. 28, 2012)

Product details

• Assisted by: Can Aybek (Editor), Helga De Valk (Editor), Helga de Valk et al (Editor), Michae Windzio (Editor), Michael Windzio (Editor), Matthias Wingens (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer Netherlands
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.01.2014
• EAN: 9789400794825
• ISBN: 978-94-0-079482-5
• No. of pages: 297
• Dimensions: 155 mm x 235 mm x 16 mm
• Weight: 468 g
• Illustrations: VI, 297 p.
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories; Migration, B, Sociology, Social Sciences, Sociology, general, Emigration and immigration, Human Migration