Pathways to success in an egalitarian institutional context: The second generation in Norway

• In Event: 3251 - Section on International Migration Refereed Roundtables (1 hour)
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: 7. Dynamics of Incorporation

Abstract

Comparative research on the second generation in Europe and the US has demonstrated the significance of educational systems in determining socio-economic outcomes for children of immigrants. However, an institutional approach to the study of the second-generation incorporation needs to employ a broader perspective, both in terms of the countries included in comparative studies and in what institutional features are examined. This article investigates the Norwegian second generation’s pathways through the educational system and into elite positions in the labour market. Two data sources are combined: First, population-wide administrative data on elite educational attainments and occupational statuses of majority natives and children of labour immigrants originating from Pakistan, Turkey, India and Morocco. Second, in-depth interviews with 62 second-generation individuals from the same origins currently employed as doctors, lawyers and business professionals. Exploring their pathways to their current positions, we investigate the role of Norway’s egalitarian institutional structure – characterized by redistributive social policies; an educational system with a high level of standardization and a low level of stratification; a high-quality public university system free of charge; and family policies facilitating the combination of work and family life – in enabling them to translate their aspirations into educational achievements and their current labour market positions. The paper contributes to the further development of integration context theory by adding an egalitarian welfare state context into the mix and by specifying the institutional determinants of second generation success in this context.

Authors

• Arnfinn H. Midtboen, Institute for Social Research, Oslo

• Marjan Nadim, Institute for Social Research, Oslo