Series on Population Studies • 06.05.2022New Volume Published: "Status and Ethnic Identity"

Does social advancement of migrants equate to successful integration into German society? And is strong orientation towards ethnic origin a characteristic of those with a lower social status?

In his dissertation paper based on data provided in the frame of the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS), Andreas Genoni shows that this widespread notion does not always hold true. Using Özlem Türeci and Uğur Şahin, the founders of the company BioNTech, as examples, Genoni illustrates that a succesful career in Germany, along with a high socioeconomic status, doesn't contradict attachment to ethnic origin.

Ethnic identity summarizes minority and majority identity

The analytical focus of the research is set primarily on the connection between the social status of first- and second-generation migrants and the extent to which they identify with their group of origin and with the majority population in Germany, respectively. For a better understanding of the relationship between social status and integration, the holistic understanding of minority and majority identity is crucial. This is summarized in the term "ethnic identity."

Analyses in this field provide insights into the social climate of the host society, the dialogue between different ethnic groups, and the well-being of migrants. They also allow for an extended examination of the integration paradox. This refers to the situation in which migrants with high social status identify less with the majority population than those with lower status.

Marginalized identities occur across all status levels

The analyses show that high status migrants having occupations for which they are overqualified and those with visible migration backgrounds do not only identify less with the majority population. They also identify less with their group of origin. Such marginalized identities are often being associated with precarious living conditions and resource scarcity, and are therefore rather assumed to be migrants from lower social classes. "However, my findings suggest that marginalized identities occur across all social classes and that they are not a positive expression of cosmopolitanism among migrants of higher status, as it is often assumed," Dr. Genoni concludes.

Genoni, Andreas (2022): Status and Ethnic Identity. A Study on First- and Second-Generation Migrants in Germany. Series on Population Studies 56. Opladen, Berlin, Toronto: Barbara Budrich