Ethnic Identity and Educational Outcomes of German Immigrants and Their Children

32 Pages Posted: 28 Jan 2014

See all articles by Anna‐Elisabeth Thum

Anna‐Elisabeth Thum

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS); European University Institute

Date Written: December 1, 2013

Abstract

Identity can be an important driving force for educational performance. Immigrants and their children face the challenge of identifying with their host country’s culture. This paper examines whether young immigrants and their children who identify stronger with the German culture are more likely to increase their educational outcomes. I use a concept of ethnic identity which is designed to capture Germanness in immigrants’ day-to-day routine - based on self-identification, language skills and cultural habits. The research design takes into account the issue of endogeneity of ethnic identity in an educational outcome equation by measuring education and identity at different moments and by using an endogenous latent factor methodology. The paper finds that identification with the German culture has an overall positive effect on educational outcomes and diminishes and renders the educational gap between immigrants and the second generation insignificant. The paper’s results indicate that the second generation identifies stronger with the German culture than immigrants, no matter whether of German, European, Central European or Turkish background. Apart from the immigrant generation, own low educational attainment and high mother’s educational attainment matter for identification with the German culture.

Suggested Citation

Thum, Anna-Elisabeth, Ethnic Identity and Educational Outcomes of German Immigrants and Their Children (December 1, 2013). SOEPpaper No. 622, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2385912 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2385912

Anna-Elisabeth Thum (Contact Author)

Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS) ( email )

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European University Institute

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Italy

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