Civic participation of immigrants in Europe: Assimilation, origin, and destination country effects

This paper analyses civic participation of immigrants in Europe. It documents that immigrants do actively participate in the life of the receiving societies, increasingly so with the duration of stay, but that the speed of assimilation is different for different immigrant groups. All but Muslim immigrants respond positively to the participation culture at destination; while for Muslim immigrants, origin culture is a relatively persistent determinant of participation. Civic participation is affected by conflicts at the time of migration, through immigrants' self-selection and migration irreversibility. However, civic participation is not related to current upheavals in origin countries. Destination country opportunity structures and policies aimed at immigrant political incorporation are positively associated with immigrants' civic participation.

Research Highlights► Immigrants' civic participation is overall lower than that of the native-born. ► Assimilation takes place, but varies among immigrant groups. ► Culture and participation structures at destination increase migrants' participation. ► Policies aimed at immigrant political incorporation have a dispersed impact. ► Participation is affected by past, but not current, conflicts in origin countries.