Education and cultural integration among ethnic minorities and natives in the Netherlands: A test of the integration paradox

Abstract

This contribution sets out to identify the main determinants of two attitudinal indicators of cultural integration that figure in the construction of acculturation strategies: opposition toward ethnically mixed relationships and identification with the origin country. We derive our expectations from Social Identity Theory on the direct and indirect effects of education. To test our hypotheses we use data from the Survey on the Integration of Minorities 2006 (SIM 2006) and apply multiple mediator models. SIM 2006 covers random samples from the four largest ethnic-minority groups in the Netherlands—Turks, Moroccans, Surinamese and Antilleans—and a native Dutch comparison group. We do not consistently observe the presumed negative effect of education on opposition toward ethnically mixed relationships and identification with the origin country among ethnic minorities. On the contrary, the presumed beneficial impact of education on cultural integration is absent for second-generation migrants, which is considered to be evidence of an integration paradox.