“Second generation”: a theoretical reflection on an ever-changing concept

ABSTRACT

In recent decades, the issue of migrants’ children has received increasing attention within scientific research. This is due to the ongoing nature of the most current global migration phenomena. “Second generation” is the category often used in studies to define the field of reference, namely that of youth with foreign origin. However, this definition is sometimes generic or rather crossed by different interpretations depending on the application context, references considered or even used approaches. This contribution of theoretical nature aims to examine this concept by highlighting its empirical complexity. Based on a critical revision of classical and contemporary definitions, the analytical reflection focuses on a particular context, specifically the Italian one, about which the most recent conceptualisations proposed from below, for instance by the youth associationism’s world, are also considered. In conclusion, a broad conceptual reflection emerges that seeks to problematise the use of this ever-changing category.

KEYWORDS:

• Second generation
• migration
• review
• concept
• sociology
• Italy

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 With regard to settlement processes, it is important to mention how in the “four-stage scheme” proposed by Castles and Miller (1993), in some ways similar to that of Böhning (1984) but more focused on the social networks' influence, in the third stage, thanks to family reunions and the growing awareness of long-term settlement, a progressive orientation towards the arrival society is achieved. Also, Bastenier and Dassetto (1990), within the 'migratory cycle' identify in the third stage the establishment of the population of foreign origin, thanks to the arrival of children and the affirmation of movements that require a redefinition of relationships. This means that the appearance of “second generations” is an outcome, almost taken for granted of the migratory process, despite attempts to privilege the temporary nature of mobility.

2 The “Generation” itself is a polysynthetic concept with several meanings that captures the relation between the individual and the collective in both societal and kinship relations, the concept of the life course as individuals age, and collective existence as lived out in the company of time-based cohorts of contemporaries. For a specific discussion see the contribution of Bolland and Lopes (2014).

3 According to this principle, second-generation migrants are eager to assimilate the cultural norms of their host country, whereas third-generation migrants are more likely to revert to the ethnic and religious norms of their grandparents” generation, thereby asserting their difference from mainstream /culture (Attias-Donfut 2015).

4 For an empirical test of this typology see Oropesa and Landale 1997.

5 Note the profound critical contribution of the author Sayad Abdelmalek in France (1999) who discussed, among other issues, the concept of “double absence”.

6 Recommendation of committee of ministers to the member states on second generation migrants, No. R (84) 9 1 (1984).

7 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, Conference of European Statisticians Recommendations for the 2010 Censuses Of Population And Housing. Prepared In Cooperation With The Statistical Office Of The European Communities (Eurostat). 2006. United Nations Publication. ISSN 0069-8458. Pp. 1-213. Consulted at the link:

8 The European Migration Network (EMN) is a Europe-wide network consisting of National Contact Points (NCPs) in the Member States and Norway, providing information on migration and asylum. The EMN was officially set up in 2008 by the European Commission on behalf of the European Council in order to satisfy the need for a regular exchange of reliable information on migration and asylum related issues on a European level. The EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary offers an EU-wide multidisciplinary vocabulary of approximately 500 terms and concepts, with terms translated into a number of languages. A consultative approach is used to keep the EMN Glossary up-to-date and relevant. The EMN Glossary is developed by a dedicated working group which collaborates with the European Commission, EASO, FRA, FRONTEX, the Council of the EU, the Court of Justice of the EU and international organisations, such as UNHCR and IOM. It is available at the link: https://home-affairs.ec.europa.eu/networks/european-migration-network-emn/emn-asylum-and-migration-glossary_en.

9 At the European level, the debate on second generations in Italy could be more closely associated with that in Spain (Portes, Aparicio, and Haller 2016), in a comparative perspective that could also be explored in further studies.

10 G2 was born in Rome in 2005 and has now grown to a national level so much so that second generations from other Italian cities (Rome, Milan Perugia, Florence, Arezzo, Turin) also participate in the National Workshops organised every year by the Network. The G2 also meet and discuss virtually on Facebook and Twitter. The reference site is: https://www.secondegenerazioni.it/about/.

11 Since 2016, the CONNGI has also been the promoter of a Manifesto, updated in its contents to the 2022 version, in which the coordination's programmatic outlines are collected, but above all the relevant issues related to the new Italian generations. The reference site is: http://conngi.it/chi-siamo/.

12 The Manifesto of the New Italian Generations proposed by CONNGI in its updated version of 2022 is available at the link: http://conngi.it/il-manifesto/.