Expecting to achieve against the odds: Anti‐immigrant sentiment and immigrants' educational and occupational expectations in Europe

Abstract

AbstractScholars have identified many factors that lead to changes in anti‐immigrant sentiment. Less is known, however, about the effects of anti‐immigrant sentiment on the academic experiences and outcomes of immigrant students. This manuscript examines the relationship between anti‐immigrant sentiment and immigrants’ expectations to achieve a college degree and career success in Europe. Consistent with established literature on immigrant optimism, this study finds that immigrants generally have higher educational and occupational expectations than their nonimmigrant peers. However, these positive associations decrease in countries with higher levels of anti‐immigrant sentiment. These patterns manifest for both first‐ and second‐generation immigrants, indicating that the potential deleterious effects of anti‐immigrant sentiment span generations of immigrants. These findings shed light on the out‐of‐family and out‐of‐school factors that shape the educational trajectories of immigrant youth and show that increases in anti‐immigrant sentiment might bring about long‐term damage to the success of immigrants in their host countries. They also suggest that school administrators and policymakers interested in immigrant success in the host countries should take anti‐immigrant sentiment into account when devising approaches to aid immigrant incorporation.