Ethnic niche formation at the top? Second-generation immigrants in Norwegian high-status occupations

Abstract

As an increasing number of highly educated second-generation immigrants are entering the labour market, their occupational trajectories are of growing interest. This article examines processes of mainstream inclusion and ethnic niche formation among second-generation individuals in three high-status professions in Norway: medicine, law and business and finance. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 62 descendants of labour migrants from Pakistan, Turkey, Morocco and India, the article identifies processes of ethnic niche formation both within mainstream firms and in the form of ethnic entrepreneurship. These processes do not simply reflect blocked opportunities to access the mainstream or strategic capitalization on ethnic resources but appear largely as unintended consequences of the ethnic competence of the second generation. Theoretically, the article contributes to the literature by offering a framework for studying the prevalence and mechanisms of ethnic niche formation at the top of the labour market hierarchy.

Religious norms and homeownership among Norwegian Muslim women

“…In recent decades, we have witnessed a significant increase in educational attainment and labour market participation among children of immigrants born in Norway, increasing their economic status and opportunity for participating in the housing market. The trend is particularly striking among women 3 (Midtbøen and Nadim 2019). As an increasing number of professional Muslim women are in positions to become homeowners, it becomes relevant to examine their housing decisions and how they negotiate financial and religious choices.…”

Agency and Adaptation: Strategies of Immigrants’ Descendants on the Swedish Labor Market

“…For example, Friberg and Midtbøen (2018) introduce the concept of 'ethnicity as skill', and show how employers equate certain ethnicities with particular competences and skills. In another study, Midtbøen and Nadim (2019) show tendencies of ethnic niche formation among highly educated descendants of immigrants in Norway, both among those working in so-called 'mainstream' firms and those in ethnically niched firms. Overall, these studies shed light on some main challenges and opportunities faced by immigrants' descendants in the Nordic labor markets.…”

Strukturell rasisme i en strukturelt inkluderendevelferdsstat?

“…Denne situasjonen er svaert ulik den etterkommere av innvandrere opplever i Norge. Etniske forskjeller i fullføring av videregående skole har avtatt betydelig siden 1990-tallet (Reisel, Hermansen, & Kindt, 2019), og etterkommere av innvandrere er overrepresentert i høyere utdanning og blant dem som fullfører høystatusutdanninger som medisin og juss (Midtbøen & Nadim, 2019;Østby & Henriksen, 2013). Etterkommerne har dessuten opplevd en betydelig økonomisk mobilitet og ligner mer på majoritetsbefolkningen enn på sine innvandrerforeldre når det gjelder inntekt, sysselsetting og mottak av sosiale stønader (Bratsberg, Raaum, & Røed, 2014;Hermansen, 2016).…”