Ethnic-minority climbers: evaluating “minority cultures of mobility” as a lens to study Dutch minority student organizations

Abstract

The increasing discomfort with ethnic diversity in many countries is paralleled by the emergence of middle classes consisting of second-generation immigrants who articulate their minority identities. This calls for an enhanced understanding of the experiences and identifications of social climbers with minority backgrounds. In this article, I explore the relevance of the idea of a “minority culture of mobility” (MCM) as a lens to look at these processes of integration, using the case of Dutch student organizations with ethnic-minority signatures. Based on parallels with the literature, I conclude that the MCM is a useful framework, also for contexts outside the United States. At the same time, observed variations between ethnic groups and changes over time within the Dutch context lay down a research agenda in order to further refine the model.