Migrant Groups In Germany Research Articles

Residential Segregation and Socioeconomic Neighbourhood Sorting: Evidence at the Micro-neighbourhood Level for Migrant Groups in Germany

This paper assesses the residential segregation of German immigrants from Turkey, Italy, the Balkans and eastern Europe with a special focus on the link between social and ethnic segregation. Microdata from the German Socioeconomic Panel Study (SOEP) are used. A new dataset provided by the microm Micromarketing-Systeme und Consult GmbH makes accessible information on participants’ immediate residential environments at the micro-neighbourhood level where an average neighbourhood contains only eight households. Substantial levels of residential isolation in the form of own-group overexposure are found for all four migrant groups. Based on previous research, an enhanced methodology is proposed to measure the effect of socioeconomic neighbourhood sorting on ethnic residential segregation. It is shown that differences in income, education, language skills and village/city size have the potential to account for 29–84 per cent of the residential isolation of the four migrant groups.

Reproductive behaviour of migrant women in Germany: Data, patterns and determinants

This paper examines the fertility of female migrants in Germany. After introducing major hypotheses on migrant fertility we give an overview on German datasets that are available for migrant fertility research. Finally, descriptive and multivariate analyses based on the “Sample Survey of Selected Migrant Groups in Germany (RAM)” are presented. Migrant fertility in Germany differs according to the country of origin: among major migrant groups analysed, Turkish women show the highest and Polish women the lowest fertility level. Multivariate analysis shows that the existence of children born in the country of origin has a strong increasing effect on migrant fertility. Besides, migrant women with German partners have a lower fertility than women with non-German partners. Furthermore, the fertility of Muslim women is elevated when compared with other religious groups. In contrast, emotional ties with the country of origin and the level of native and German language skills show no influence on migrants’ fertility.

Acculturation and mental distress among Russian and Iranian migrants in Germany

Several studies have stressed a correlation between difficulties in acculturation and mental distress or even mental disorders. The stress related to the process of acculturation can lead to depressive symptoms by way of changes in the activity of the HPA axis. However, it remains difficult to measure acculturation stress, as difficulties in acculturation strongly depend on subjective interpretations of every day experiences. The association between acculturation stress and mental distress was examined in two different migrant groups in Germany, 202 migrants of Russian and 100 of Iranian origin. In both migrant groups a significant correlation between acculturation stress and mental distress was found, yet no significant association between acculturation stress and length of residency in Germany. These findings will have to be replicated with representative samples and also with other migrant groups, both in and out of treatment. Considering the fact that the Russian sample was younger and nonetheless had relatively high acculturation stress scores, prevention of future mental health problems among migrants will have to focus on easing the process of integration into the host society.

Intergenerational Transmission in Turkish Immigrant Families: Parental Collectivism, Achievement Values and Gender Differences

The main objective of this empirical research is the analysis of intergenerational transmission and integration of repatriate families from the former Soviet Union in Germany. Repatriates are of German origin generally coming from Eastern Europe, where their ancestors migrated about 250 years ago. They are permitted to immigrate into the Federal Republic of Germany if they can prove their German origin and a discrimination in the country they live because of their German culture. They can be distinguished from other migrant groups in Germany not only by their cultural closeness to the native population, but also by their legal status upon immigration. They are equal in civil rights to the German population after their admission. Therefore, most people assume that these immigrants do not have any problems to integrate into Germany. But as Germans amongst Germans, being fully supplied with all civil rights, repatriates are still in a real, and very complicated immigration situation. Alltogether 427 same sex parent-child dyads of repatriates from the former Soviet Union were interviewed. The empirical analyses are based on an evolution with standardized questionaires. Special regard is given to the question, how individual skills, contextual restrictions, and familial factors effects the process of acculturation of migrant families from the former Soviet Union in Germany. Specifically the analysis examines how the parent generation influences the children generation and how this affects their integration process.