The role of social capital in migrants’ engagement in local politics in European cities Laura Morales (University of Murcia & University of Manchester) Katia Pilati (University of Trento)

2 Research objective: To examine how bridging and bonding social capital differently shape political attitudes and behaviors of migrants across cities in Europe. Theoretical approaches: Literature on political participation by migrants: -POS approach focusing on the institutional structure (Koopmans et al. 2005, Bloemraad 2006) -Organizational approach fucusing on intermediate meso-structures (Fennema and Tillie 1999, 2001; Togeby 1999) LINK with theories distinguishing different types of structures/links: -overlapping and intersecting structures (Simmel) -bonding and bridging social capital Hypothesis : different structures/links different types of participation If migrants interact with their co-ethnics they will be more likely to be exposed to participation that relate to issues and concerns framed around their own ethnic group. Consequently, bonding -rather than bridging – social capital will provide fertile ground for political engagement with an ethnic focus. Instead, ethnically diverse social interactions will promote political engagement related to issues and concerns that affect the larger society.

Methodological notes on the empirical study Data source: -micro data collected through a survey carried out between 2007 and 2008 in 8 European cities: Barcelona, Budapest, Geneva, London, Lyon, Madrid, Milan, and Zurich. -data from organizational survey (index on ethnic links among organizational networks) Main IVs: 4 indicators of bonding social capital Involved in ethnic organizational type; Involved in organizations with 50% members of R’s ethnic group (%); Ethnic homogeneity of informal relationships; Ethnic ties of organizational network DVs: 4 types of political engagement (ethnic and non ethnic) Political interest, Contacts Protests (Political consumerism) 3

DVs: interest, contacts and protests INTERESTCONTACTSPROTESTS Host country ethnic Host country ethnic Host country ethnic BARCELONAMoroccans Ecuadorisn Andeans BUDAPESTEthnic Hungarians Chinese Mixed Muslims GENEVAItalians Kosovars LONDONBangladeshi Indians Black Caribbeans LYONMoroccans Algerians Tunisians MADRIDMoroccans Ecuadorisn Andeans MILANEgyptians Philipinos Ecuadorians ZURICHItalians Kosovars Turks

IV: Involved in ethnic organizational type

IV: Involved in organizations with 50% members of R’s ethnic group

IV: Ethnic homogeneity of informal relationships

IV: Ethnic ties of organizational network

Involved in organizations with 50% members of R’s ethnic group Ethnic homogeneity of informal relationships; Preliminary findings Decrease host country political engagement (interest, contacts and protests) Increase political engagement with an ethnic focus (interest) Increases home versus host country political engagement (interest, contacts)

Involved in ethnic organizational type; Increase host country political engagement (interest) Increases political engagement with an ethnic focus (interest, contacts) Ethnic ties of organizational network Increase host country political engagement (contacts, protests) BUT decreases host country interest Decreases political engagement with an ethnic focus (interest, contacts) Decreases home versus host country protests BUT increases home versus host country political interest

MORE interacting effects of bonding social capital with contextual variables may be of interest (analyses seem to suggest that they are often significant for explaining host country interest/protest by reducing the negative impact of bonding at the individual level. interactions between bonding social capital with ethnic identities.