Ethnic Sorting and Mixing across Voluntary Associations: Volunteering and Membership Dynamics in the Netherlands

• In Event: 294 - Regular Session. Social Capital and the Community

Abstract

To what extent do voluntary organizations like sports, leisure, and neighborhood associations provide a platform where different ethnic groups mingle and ethnic boundaries are overcome? This study uses unique panel data from the Netherlands Longitudinal Life Course Study (NELLS) to shed light on the integrative power of voluntary associations. In particular, I investigate decisions to start and quit volunteering and memberships for associations of different ethnic composition among individuals of Turkish, Moroccan, and native Dutch origin. While ethnic differences in the general chances of starting are negligible after taking into account relevant socio-demographic characteristics, ethnic minorities are generally more likely to quit than their native Dutch counterparts. Moreover, strong ethnic sorting is observed when attention is paid to the ethnic composition of the organizations being joined. People are much more likely to get involved in associations containing fewer ethnic out-group members. In contrast, once the initial hurdle of getting involved has been taken, people are no more likely to disengage from organizations with more ethnic out-group members. Amongst various mechanisms that could explain the strong ethnic sorting tendencies in people’s starting decisions, inter-ethnic neighborhood contact and the local supply of involvement opportunities are found to be most influential.

Author

• Dingeman Wiertz, Oxford University