Determinants of identity: the influence of generational status, religiosity, and school context on immigrant identity in Europe

This paper examines determinants of identity through examining the generational status, religiosity, and school context of migrant youth in Europe. The first part of this study focuses on the presumptions of assimilation theory for identity by testing for generational differences and evidence of ethnic revival in acculturation identity. This study also explores the influence of religion- which has often been perceived as a hindrance to integration- and school context on the types of identities students express. The questions are explored using the migrant sample of the Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey in Four European Countries (CILS4EU; England, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden). Results of multilevel logistic regressions challenge previous presumptions of identity among migrant youth and find no strong evidence for either assimilation or ethnic revival among second generation students compared with their first generation peers. However, evidence of assimilation is observed among students with a foreign-born and native parent. Religious salience, perceived discrimination, and high share of migrants at the school-level are also associated with a lower likelihood of assimilated identity and higher likelihood of integrated and separated identities, suggesting the social and contextual nature of identity formation and highlighting the role of ethnic diversity in facilitating dual identities.