Group-Specific Effects of Contexts of Migration

Abstract

As the number of immigrant destinations grows, cross-national comparison becomes an increasingly popular research strategy. Most cross-national research on immigrant integration assumes that the policies and practices of destinations affect all immigrants equally. While this is often the case, in many situations, destinations privilege some groups over others. “Group-specific effects of contexts of migration” refers to the differential treatment that immigrant groups encounter within a single destination. Scholars comparing the integration of two or more groups within a single destination are more likely to acknowledge this phenomenon than are researchers comparing one or more groups in two or more destinations. Perhaps this asymmetry occurs because the emphasis of the former is differences between immigrant groups, while the emphasis of the latter is differences between destinations. Whatever the reason, a more balanced perspective is needed.