About the Project

EUMARGINS investigates experiences of young adult immigrants in seven urban-metropolitan areas in seven different European countries: Norway (Oslo), Sweden (Gothenburg), the United Kingdom (London), Italy (Genoa), France (Metz/Nancy), Spain (Barcelona) and Estonia (Tallinn). Briefly, the research project seeks to find out what it is that hinders inclusion of young adult immigrants in some European countries, and what it is that opens up for it.

The project lasts for 3 years; from October 2008 to October 2011.

Both exclusion caused by macro structures such as the national and EU policies, and exclusion caused by micro structures such as neighbourhoods, schools, family networks and peer groups are studied. And maybe young people sometimes willingly contribute to their own exclusion? The main social domains of analysis are the educational system and the labour market. In addition, leisure time activities and/or socio-political activism as well as the role of neighbourhoods and other networks are included in the analysis.

Young adult immigrants is a diverse group of people, and therefore EUMARGINS studies a broad spectrum of cases in each country. This enables us to see how young immigrants with different positions in society experience different forms of barriers and opportunities. The researchers seek to overcome traditional perceptions attached to so-called most and least marginalised people. This is done by means of interviewing young immigrants labelled as marginalised about experiences of inclusion, and those who are in high-status educational tracks or in high-status jobs about their possible experiences of exclusion.

EUMARGINS is primarily a qualitative project, but quantitative data also play an important role. Analysis of existing statistics is therefore used in combination with life story interviews and participant observation. This combination of method enables us to seize the complexity of the processes of inclusion and exclusion, as well as the transition between these two. The research is based upon the belief that individuals may be included in some arenas, but at the same time excluded from other arenas, and that these situations are changing during the course of a lifetime.
 

Tags: barriers, exclusion, inclusion, marginalisation, methodology, opportunities By Katrine Fangen
Published Sep. 22, 2010 2:01 PM - Last modified Sep. 18, 2012 11:12 AM