What Neighbourhood Context Do Immigrants and Their Descendants Grow up in? A Comparative Study of Four Distinct Generations in France and Sweden

Rosa Weber , Stockholm University
Elena Pupaza, Stockholm University
Ben Wilson, Stockholm University
Mathieu Ichou, Institut National d'Études Démographiques (INED)

Prior work shows that the neighbourhood context during childhood plays an important role for the later life outcomes of immigrants and their descendants. However, findings differ across national contexts and by the measure(s) of neighbourhood context. Here we contribute by analysing childhood residential characteristics across four generations in France and Sweden, two countries with distinct migration histories and immigrant populations. France has a long history of immigration dominated by migrants from Southern Europe and former colonies such as Algeria and Morocco, while over the last fifty years most immigrants to Sweden have been refugees or family reunion migrants. By comparing France and Sweden, we aim to assess whether there are similarities in the spatial integration patterns of immigrants and their descendants despite specificities of the two contexts of reception. Our findings reveal similar overall patterns in France and Sweden across four generations: immigrants who arrived before 18 (G1.5), native-born individuals with two foreign-born parents (G2), native-born individuals with one foreign- and one native-born parent (G2.5), and native-born individuals with at least one foreign-born grandparent (G3). In both countries non-European immigrants and their descendants live in neighbourhoods that are distinct from those of natives (native-born children with two native-born parents, and four native-born grandparents, G4+), while differences between Europeans and G4+ are smaller. However, there are some notable distinctions between generations in Sweden. Having one or two native-born parents seems to play an important role for the childhood residential context in Sweden, more so than in France.

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 Presented in Session 72. Spatial Segregation and Migrant Populations