Do Countries of Origin Contribute to Socio-cultural Integration of Migrants Abroad?

Abstract

This chapter aims at understanding how countries of origin may influence the social ties of their emigrants abroad – and thus the socio-cultural dimension of integration – when they settle in their new country of residence. “Socio-cultural integration is concerned with the question of whether ethnic minority groups become part of the receiving society or whether these groups remain distinct from the host country” (Gijsberts and Dagevos 2007). The contacts migrants develop with the host society, their knowledge of the host society language, the attitudes of the host society, and the sense of belonging to the host society are several aspects of socio-cultural integration which have been studied in great detail (Ehrkamp 2005; Snel et al. 2006; Gijsberts and Dagevos 2007; Vancluysen et al. 2009; etc.). Here, socio-cultural integration is examined through the lenses of social interactions between migrants and natives in different social contexts: intermarriages, interethnic friendships, interethnic relations at workplace and, finally, encounters in the neighbourhood.