Social Cohesion & Identity

Large-scale immigration has led to unprecedented levels of diversity and rapid demographic change, transforming communities across major immigrant-receiving countries in fundamental ways and challenging closely held notions of national identity, particularly in an era of economic uncertainty. The research here focuses on what policymakers can do to mitigate the destabilizing effects of rapid societal change — especially changes tied or perceived to be tied to immigration — in order to create stronger and more cohesive societies.

Recent Activity

Articles December 13, 2016 As Publics Fear Loss of National Identity, Far-Right Populist Movements Gain Strength By Natalia Banulescu-Bogdan	Articles December 12, 2016 Crises with Links to Immigration Result in Divergent Policy Responses on Either Side of the Atlantic By Aliyyah Ahad and Liz Heimann
Articles December 6, 2016 On the Brink of Demographic Crisis, Governments in East Asia Turn Slowly to Immigration By Sara Staedicke, Jeanne Batalova, and Jie Zong	Reports November 2016 Towards a Whole-of-Society Approach to Receiving and Settling Newcomers in Europe By Demetrios G. Papademetriou and Meghan Benton
Reports October 2016 Mental Health Risks and Resilience among Somali and Bhutanese Refugee Parents By B. Heidi Ellis, Erin N. Hulland , Alisa B. Miller, Colleen Barrett Bixby, Barbara Lopes Cardozo and Theresa S. Betancourt	Reports October 2016 Integrating Refugees into Host Country Labor Markets: Challenges and Policy Options By Maria Vincenza Desiderio
Articles August 31, 2016 The New Reality: Germany Adapts to Its Role as a Major Migrant Magnet By Victoria Rietig and Andreas Müller	Multimedia July 14, 2016 Beyond Brexit: The Policy and Political Lessons for Immigration-Anxious Countries

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Reports April 2008 Dual Citizenship in the Age of Mobility By Thomas Faist and Jürgen Gerdes	Reports April 2008 Local Voting Rights for Non-Nationals in Europe: What We Know and What We Need to Learn By Kees Groenendijk
Reports April 2008 Los Angeles on the Leading Edge: Immigrant Integration Indicators and their Policy Implications By Michael Fix, Margie McHugh, Aaron Terrazas and Laureen Laglagaron	Reports October 2007 Integrating Islam: A New Chapter in 'Church-State' Relations By Jonathan Laurence
Reports September 2007 Early Education for Immigrant Children By Paul Leseman	Books October 2005 Managing Integration: The European Union’s Responsibilities Towards Immigrants
Reports September 2005 Education and Immigrant Integration in the United States and Canada By Philippa Strum and David Biette	Reports April 2004 Immigrants and Homeownership in Urban America: An Examination of Nativity, Socio-Economic Status and Place By Demetrios G. Papademetriou, Brian Ray and Maia Jachimowicz

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Feature

June 9, 2009

Switzerland's Non-EU Immigrants: Their Integration and Swiss Attitudes

Nearly 40 percent of Switzerland's 1.6 million foreign residents come from countries outside the European Union. Julie Schindall examines the latest data on this population, integration indicators and policies, and political rhetoric and public opinion.

Feature

January 26, 2009

Feedback and Belonging: Explaining the Dynamics of Diversity

The idea of belonging is a powerful lens for examining immigrant integration. Geoff Mulgan of the Young Foundation in the United Kingdom outlines 10 key feedback circuits, including the economy, culture, and physical environment, from which people receive messages about belonging.

Feature

May 3, 2007

After-School Institutions in Chinese and Korean Immigrant Communities: A Model for Others?

In the United States, the academic success of children of Chinese and Korean immigrants usually is attributed to either their culture or the U.S. immigration system, which favors skilled migrants. Min Zhou and Susan S. Kim of the University of California, Los Angeles compare the after-school institutions in these communities to explain the effect of ethnicity on educational outcomes.

Feature

October 1, 2006

Becoming American/Becoming New Yorkers: The Second Generation in a Majority Minority City

The second generation in New York City largely comes from non-European ethnic origins. Philip Kasinitz, Mary C. Waters, John Mollenkopf, and Jennifer Holdaway look at how growing up in a “majority minority” city has affected their experiences in school and on the job, how they feel about their progress, and where they think they fit within American society.

Feature

February 1, 2005

Bilingualism Persists, But English Still Dominates

Richard Alba of the Mumford Center for Comparative Urban and Regional Research at SUNY Albany examines English-language usage among the second and third generations.

Recent Activity

Articles

December 13, 2016

As Publics Fear Loss of National Identity, Far-Right Populist Movements Gain Strength

The success of populist movements on both sides of the Atlantic in 2016, including Donald Trump's victory in the United States and the United Kingdom's vote to quit the European Union, have sparked an identity crisis in the West. Campaigns effectively tapped into the anxieties of voters who feel left behind by societal change and out-of-touch elites, while normalizing anti-immigrant rhetoric in mainstream discourse, as this Top 10 article explores.

Articles

December 12, 2016

Crises with Links to Immigration Result in Divergent Policy Responses on Either Side of the Atlantic

While Europe and the United States saw terror attacks in 2016 carried out by radicalized immigrants or members of the second generation, policy responses varied on either side of the Atlantic. The perceived security threat posed by refugees was the main concern in the United States. Meanwhile, European debates centered more on concerns over loss of control of migration flows and lack of social cohesion.

Articles

December 6, 2016

On the Brink of Demographic Crisis, Governments in East Asia Turn Slowly to Immigration

With many countries in East Asia facing unfavorable demographic shifts in the form of aging populations, low fertility, and shrinking workforces, governments in 2016 continued to explore immigration as a potential policy solution. However, a tradition of cultural homogeneity and wariness among publics about increased immigration is leading policymakers to test the waters with very small steps.

Reports

November 2016

Towards a Whole-of-Society Approach to Receiving and Settling Newcomers in Europe

With the seemingly endless flows of asylum seekers and migrants abated, at least for the present, Europe is now faced with the long-term and complex challenges of integration of these newcomers. This report examines the political, social, and economic contexts and immigration histories of European countries and how the current integration challenges are complicated by existing challenges of fragmentation and social unrest. Still, the authors find some cause for optimism.

Reports

October 2016

Mental Health Risks and Resilience among Somali and Bhutanese Refugee Parents

Somali and Bhutanese refugees are two of the largest groups recently resettled in the United States and Canada. This report examines factors that might promote or undermine the mental health and overall well-being of children of these refugees, with regard to factors such as past exposure to trauma, parental mental health, educational attainment, social support, and discrimination.

Reports

October 2016

Integrating Refugees into Host Country Labor Markets: Challenges and Policy Options

Countries receiving large numbers of asylum seekers are facing huge challenges in meeting newcomers' immediate needs, yet longer-term integration issues could prolong the crisis if not addressed. This report assesses the barriers refugees and asylum seekers face getting into jobs, and particularly at their skill level. The report identifies policies that support labor market integration, including early skills assessment and training.

Articles

August 31, 2016

The New Reality: Germany Adapts to Its Role as a Major Migrant Magnet

Although long one of the world's top migrant destinations, only in the recent past has Germany come to acknowledge and adjust to its role as a country of immigration. Its welcoming approach—a relatively new development—has been put to the test amid massive humanitarian inflows beginning in 2015. This country profile examines Germany's history on immigration and highlights current and emerging debates.

Audio, Webinars

July 14, 2016

Beyond Brexit: The Policy and Political Lessons for Immigration-Anxious Countries

The UK vote to exit the European Union has given new momentum to euroskeptic, anti-immigration movements elsewhere. Experts discuss the political and policy lessons that can be learned from Brexit and applied to debates in Europe and North America, including how to address public anxiety over immigration and identity while managing migration in a globalized economy.

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