Gaps in protest activities between natives and individuals of migrant origin in Europe

Abstract

This article explores gaps in protest engagement between natives and individuals of migrant origin in European cities. It examines migrant–native gaps and second generation–native gaps by associating them with different sources of inequalities: differential individual socio-economic status resources, differential attitudes, and differential characteristics related to migration; differential effects of such factors for natives and for individuals of migrant origin; and differential contexts offering varying opportunities of participation. The study uses cross-national micro-data from a population survey of immigrant-origin individuals and natives in 9 European cities undertaken in 2004–2008. The findings show that observed inequalities in protest participation involving migrants and second generations are largely based on different levels of education attained and of political interest. Some migration-related characteristics, like holding the citizenship of the host country and experienced discrimination, affect protest gaps as well. In addition, results support the claimed importance of the context where individuals of migrant origin settle, in particular, of the characteristics of the citizenship regime. Finally, our findings support a segmented assimilation hypothesis whereby different socio-economic modes of incorporation of ethnic groups in the host cities affect different trajectories of political incorporation.