Segregation in Civic Life

Abstract

To what extent do voluntary organizations like sports, leisure, and neighborhood associations provide a platform where ethnic groups mingle and ethnic boundaries are overcome? This study uses unique panel data from the Netherlands Longitudinal Life Course Study (NELLS) to shed light on the integrative power of voluntary associations. I investigate decisions to join and leave associations of different ethnic composition, as a member or a volunteer, among individuals of Turkish, Moroccan, and native Dutch origin. In general, all ethnic groups are equally likely to join voluntary organizations, but ethnic minorities are more likely to leave than are Dutch natives, even after accounting for relevant sociodemographic characteristics. This alone explains ethnic minorities’ lower involvement rates. Moreover, joining decisions are characterized by strong ethnic sorting across organizations of different ethnic composition: people are much more likely to join associations containing fewer ethnic out-group members. This limits the potential of voluntary associations as pathways to social integration. In contrast, once the initial hurdle of getting involved has been taken, people are no more likely to disengage from organizations with more ethnic out-group members. Inter-ethnic neighborhood contact and the local supply of involvement opportunities are most influential in explaining the strong sorting tendencies in people’s joining decisions.

Ethnic participation in Dutch amateur football clubs

“…Not only could this potentially lower the threshold for cultural resources in order to participate in amateur football clubs, but it could also make prejudice and discrimination less of an issue in practice. This would be line with Wiertz's (2016) study which indicates that Dutch civil society is relatively segregated and Bradbury's (2011) suggestion that minority clubs can play an important role for ethnic minorities to deal with racism in and outside football.…”

“…The relatively disadvantaged positions of ethnic minority members might therefore act as a barrier to gain access to the sports domain (Collins, 2014;Wiertz, 2016).…”

Course Profiles and Participation in German Adult Education Centers During Times of Migration: A Longitudinal Study

“…Due to these inevitable changes in the participant structures, one may observe a scenario of segregation similar to the scenarios of segregation in schools and voluntary organizations (Makles & Schneider, 2015; Owens et al, 2016; Schneider et al, 2012; Wiertz, 2016). A basic mechanism for segregation is in-group favoritism.…”

Do birds of a feather play football together? A study on ethnic segregation in Dutch amateur football

“…Similarly, Vermeulen and Verweel (2009) observe indications of bonding around ethnic identities during sports activities inside and outside clubs, by ethnic minority as well as majority groups. Furthermore, Wiertz (2016) finds proof for pronounced ethnic sorting tendencies when individuals join various civic associations, including sports clubs.…”

“…Therefore, we may be directed to expect that the landscape of voluntary associations is rather ethnically segregated, severely constraining the meeting and bonding opportunities with members outside of one's own ethnic group. Surprisingly, barely any studies so far have looked at ethnic homophily in voluntary association membership on a large scale (Wiertz, 2016 being a notable exception). A number of sports sociological studies have explored links between ethnicity and sports participation quantitatively, but it remains unclear how and/or with whom these activities are organised (e.g.…”