CITIZENSHIP, POLITICAL CONTEXT, AND IMMIGRANT POLITICAL ENGAGEMENT IN EUROPE

Although immigrants constitute an increasing share of the population in many established democracies, we know surprisingly little about how they participate in civic life, and how increasing flows of migration may transform the patterns of political engagement in contemporary democracies. In particular, little systematic research exists on whether citizenship (as opposed being foreign-born) has an impact on civic engagement beyond the voting booth. We develop a conceptual distinction between citizenship and foreign-born status, and argue that citizenship should be understood as providing legal entitlements and protections that can help to overcome those socialization experiences of immigrants inauspicious for political engagement. Using data collected in 21 European democracies in 2002-03, we find that the impact of citizenship on nonelectoral participation is positive and particularly powerful among individuals who were socialized in less democratic countries. These findings have important implications for debates over the definition of and access to citizenship in contemporary democracies