‘You shouldn't blame religion … but the person’ – the ethnic boundary work of young second-generation migrants in Rotterdam

Abstract

In the Netherlands, as in most other western European countries, the desirability and the governability of a multicultural society are topics of debate. In the last decade, this debate has increasingly centred on second-generation migrants, focusing on their high rates of crime and school drop-out. In the Dutch context, however, little scholarly research has paid attention to second-generation migrants' own experiences. In this paper, I therefore focus on the perceptions of ethnic boundaries held by 12-to 19-year-old second-generation migrants and how they negotiate these boundaries in the low-income, multi-ethnic Feijenoord area of Rotterdam. The study shows that young people are used to living together with many different cultures and see themselves as being on both sides of the ethnic boundary between the Dutch-majority society and the culture of their parents. However, they also encounter prejudice and discrimination in their day-to-day lives, which calls into question the success of multiculturalism.

Migration background – Statistical classification and the problem of implicitly ethnicising categorisation in educational contexts

“…Of course, a lot of boundary making happens in educational contexts, some of which may also be openly ethnicising (e.g. Duemmler et al., 2010; Visser, 2016). Overwhelmingly, however, professional educational boundary making primarily implies other forms of categorisation, such as grading students, assessing behaviour or diagnosing learning disorders.…”

Young People are the Future? Comparing Adults’ and Young People’s Perceptions and Practices of Diversity in a Highly Diverse Neighbourhood

“…When young people were for instance asked to list the most important ‘groups’ in their community, they found this very difficult. Many indicated that such groups did not really exist and when certain groups were identified those were often based on various kinds of subcultures (dancers, soccer players, basketball players), the school they went to, or the sub‐neighbourhood they were from (Visser ). Several of the young people indicated that others were welcome to join their group of friends irrespective of ethno‐cultural background.…”

Belonging to the nation: Negotiating narratives of national identity in Aotearoa New Zealand

“…This study joins a handful of others that have explored how young citizens in culturally diverse nations are navigating diversity, experiencing belonging and expressing their citizenship (Erdal, 2019;Erdal & Strømsø, 2021;Harju, 2018;Valentine, Sporton, & Nielsen, 2009;Visser, 2016;Wang, 2018;Wang & Collins, 2016;Witten, Kearns, Carroll, & Asiasiga, 2019;Wood & Homolja, 2021). However, while such studies have documented the complex 'ethnic boundary work' (Visser, 2016) undertaken by young ethnic minority youth in order to 'fit in' or belong to the nation, very few consider how such young people themselves might reshape the nation (Erdal & Strømsø, 2021;Thompson, 2001;Wilson, 2015).…”