Abstract
This paper challenges the assimilationist assumption that suggests migrants cannot be simultaneously embedded in multiple societies. Based on survey data collected among Afghan, Burundian, Ethiopian and Moroccan migrants in the Netherlands, the paper shows that overall sociocultural integration in the Netherlands and sociocultural homeland engagement are significantly positively correlated. Moreover, it demonstrates that migrants with more contact with their co-ethnics in the Netherlands tend to engage more in sociocultural activities oriented towards their home country. Besides, the influence of favourable political and security situations and economic prospects in the home countries is brought to the fore in relation to migrant groups’ sociocultural homeland engagement. The paper consequently highlights the prevalence of transnational ways of living and calls for theoretical adjustments in line with migrants’ multi-sited social lives and more inclusive policy approaches that recognize the relevance of dual-citizenship in this contemporary context.
Highlights
In the past few decades, a growing number of social scientists have acknowledged that migrants do not assimilate into the host country and break off ties with their contacts in the home country (Levitt and Glick Schiller, 2004)
Rather than treating integration processes in the host country and homeland engagement separately, I look at the inherent linkages between the two in order to respond to the following question: To what extent and in which ways is migrants’ engagement in sociocultural activities oriented towards their home country linked to their sociocultural integration into the host country?
4.1 Sociocultural homeland engagement According to the survey results, a large proportion of migrants are in contact with their family and friends in the home country, with 87 per cent of the respondents stating that they have contact with their family and friends in the home country
Summary
In the past few decades, a growing number of social scientists have acknowledged that migrants do not assimilate into the host country and break off ties with their contacts in the home country (Levitt and Glick Schiller, 2004) Instead, they maintain strong social, cultural and political. It is important to understand under which conditions migrants develop more sociocultural contact with their home country, especially given that social remittances are transferred through these relationships (Levitt, 1998). These transfers – including new ideas, practices, values, skills and identities – may alter people’s behaviour and transform conceived notions about gender relations, democracy and so forth in sending communities, as well as contributing to development (Levitt, 1999). In this paper, I make group comparisons in order to highlight the role of contextual factors in sociocultural homeland engagement
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