Abstract
Members of the ‘second generation’ in Europe, meaning young adults with immigrant backgrounds who are either born in the host country or came there in their childhood through family migration, more often have lower educational qualifications and fewer occupational opportunities than their native-born peers (Thomson and Crul 2007). However, there are differences between countries, for example concerning the level of inequality and the particular biographical phases in which selective processes are relevant (Heath et al. 2008). In Germany, members of the second generation encounter early selection processes, tend to be concentrated in the lower tracks of school, and rarely obtain educational degrees that provide access to university (Diefenbach 2007).
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Notes
- 1.
The use of the terminology in scholarly debates is ambiguous, since while ‘second generation’ is sometimes used to refer only to those who are born in the host country, others use it in a broader way to include those who arrived during their childhood or during their period of schooling (cf. Heath, Rothon, and Kilpi 2008: 214–215).
- 2.
The paper also includes interviewees who have attended universities of applied science (Fachhochschulen).
- 3.
Started by the author, together with Arnd-Michel Nohl, Oliver Schmidtke, and Anja Weiß, this research project was funded by the Volkswagen-Foundation. See for more details on data and methods section 2.4 of this article and Nohl, Schittenhelm, Schmidtke, and Weiss. (2006).
- 4.
It is an element of the methodology used not to focus on ethnically defined immigrant groups but to treat ethnicity as a possible emerging feature among the various influences that shape the outcome of labour market processes; see Nohl et al. (2006).
- 5.
These interviews were conducted in 2005–2009 at the University of Siegen. I wish to thank the young researchers Steffen Neumann and Regina Soremski as well as my former student research assistants Hülya Akkas, Kathrin Klein, and Stefan Kohlbach for their assistance in the inquiry and data evaluation.
- 6.
The participants are here distinguished by their highest degree, among the university graduates there have been participants who also have a vocational training degree. For the purpose of a comparative analysis on behalf of a theoretical sampling, cases of participants who arrived in Germany at a later stage of their educational career were included.
- 7.
According to current figures on the second generation’s schooling in Germany (Diefenbach 2007; AG Bildungsberichterstattung 2008), these pupils are still underrepresented in the upper educational track. It is nonetheless worth noting that our findings are valid for the period during which our research participants, subsequently: professionals, were pupils. It is worth asking whether this situation has changed, at least in urban neighbourhoods with a large percentage of different immigrant populations.
- 8.
For the sake of anonymity, all research participants are represented by code names.
- 9.
In Germany, the educational system falls under the jurisdiction of the Länder governments. In a few city-states and regions, selection occurs after six grades instead of the usual four grades which is the case in most of the Länder.
- 10.
All quotations are translated into English; the German original is presented in footnotes:“… aber letzten Endes hat es mich nie in meinem Eifer irgendwie gestoppt ich wusste genau was ich wollte und hab mir schon damals recht früh das Ziel gesetzt wenn Du in dieser Gesellschaft was sein willst musst du das entsprechend mit Fleiß und durch bestimmte Ziele die man erreicht…” (Interview, Lale Çiçek).
- 11.
“Ich war ja irgendwie anders ich sah vielleicht nicht anders aus aber der Name klang anders.”
- 12.
“…die luden sich gegenseitig zu den Geburtstagen ein man traf sich nachmittags und man war da irgendwie schon ausgeschlossen weil man einfach Ausländerin war und ähm (.) in den Hofpausen war ich auch immer nur mit denen zusammen mit denen sonst keiner zusammen war.”
- 13.
It is worth noting that in the academic year 2006–2007 only 2.2% of all beginners at German universities received their educational qualification by following a classic second-chance career track (AG Bildungsberichterstattung 2008: 176).
- 14.
The term in German is Fachhochschule der Polizei.
- 15.
Erkan Yilmaz was included in the vocationally trained sub-sample of interviewees who had completed the highest educational degree.
- 16.
In Germany, students receive financial support which is based on a loan system where the income level of their parents is taken into account.
- 17.
In Germany this is a school where pupils coming from the intermediate school track can embark and finally graduate with the Abitur.
- 18.
…das war halt die Hauptschule so hab' ich dann halt irgendwie meine zehnte Klasse da abgeschlossen dann hieß es natürlich wenn man dann halt irgendwie die Leistungen in bestimmten Fächern Mathe Deutsch Englisch was wir 'n bisschen hatten äh gut ist also ja zwischen eins und zwei würde man ja 'n Realschulabschluss bekommen und mit diesem Realabschluss könnte man ja weiter äh entweder in den fortführenden Schulen oder Ausbildungen oder wie auch immer also ich hatte halt irgendwie 'nen guten Abschluss weiß ich jetzt nicht aber jedenfalls also in diesem Rahmen da hab' ich halt 'nen Realabschluss äh machen können“
- 19.
…und mit diesem Realabschluss ja hab' ich mich halt informiert was ich dann machen kann also ich meine ich war dann halt doch 'n bisschen weiter entwickelt auch im Kopf äh da hieß es ich könnte weiter auf'm Gymnasium gut hab' ich mich dann halt irgendwie mit meinem Zeugnis und mit den Unterlagen die es gab irgendwie angemeldet.“
- 20.
…es war mir ganz wichtig dass es eine türkisch-deutsche Gemeinschaft ist weil ich wollte nicht nur die türkische Ärztin für türkische Patienten sein sondern ich wollte halt einfach nur Ärztin sein darauf kam's mir an“ (Interview, Lale Çiçek).
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Schittenhelm, K. (2011). Overcoming Barriers. Career Trajectories of Highly Skilled Members of the German Second Generation. In: Wingens, M., Windzio, M., de Valk, H., Aybek, C. (eds) A Life-Course Perspective on Migration and Integration. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1545-5_5
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