Citizenship Regimes, Bright Boundaries and Segmented Political Assimilation in Europe

• In Event: 4322 - Section on Political Sociology Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 08. Democracy and Democratization

Abstract

This study examines the consequences of citizenship regimes on the electoral political participation of immigrants and their second-generation adult-children in Europe. Drawing on theories of assimilation and group boundaries we offer an ‘integrated’ micro-institutional approach by analyzing the consequences of national citizenship regimes on an important micro-level political integration outcome: voting in local and national elections. Data come from LOCALMULTIDEM, a comparative cross-national study consisting of ethnically stratified random sample survey data collected between 2004 and 2008. Results reveal important differences in voting behavior across generations and citizenship regimes. Our findings confirm cases of segmented political assimilation with a second-generation decline in a highly restrictive citizenship regime (Geneva, Zurich-Switzerland) as well as in a more inclusive regime (Stockholm-Sweden). We also find evidence of a ‘bright’ racialized group boundary with Muslims less likely to participate in local-level electoral politics in both restrictive and inclusive citizenship regimes. This study contributes to our understanding of how segmented political assimilation operates beyond the US context. It also suggests that citizenship regimes may not have a strong impact on the voting proclivities of some second-generation and Muslim residents in Europe.

Authors

• Ali R. Chaudhary, Rutgers University-New Brunswick

• Amparo Gonzales-Ferrer, Spanish National Research Council

• Laura Morales, Sciences Po