Do non-EU immigrants exhibit different patterns of participation in voluntary associations from those of natives and EU immigrants?

ABSTRACT

The paper analyses the level of participation in voluntary associations (measured by levels of joining and volunteering) of third-country nationals (TCN) in Luxembourg. We compare two groups of TCN (Cape Verdeans, and ex-Yugoslavians) with native residents and selected groups of EU immigrants. We use propensity score matching to estimate intergroup differences, while accounting for selection bias. The largest differences are found between TCN and their native Luxembourg counterparts. Specifically, TCN, on average, engage less in associations compared with native-born residents. These variations are greatest regarding membership of and volunteering in expressive associations. A similar situation is uncovered when comparing TCN with French immigrants. No substantial differences are found between TCN and immigrants of Portuguese origin.

KEYWORDS:

• Immigration
• voluntary associations
• third-country nationals
• propensity score matching
• integration

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The project was financed by le Fonds européen d’intégration des ressortissants de pays tiers and by the l’Office luxembourgeois d’accueil et d’intégration (OLAI).