Perspectives on Identity and Acculturation of Immigrants in Europe

Abstract

Migration has always played a requisite role in the history of mankind. At present the intensity and frequency of cross-border mobility are much higher than in previous decades. In addition, many citizens are children of foreigners and belong to the so called second generation of immigrants, these people belonging to two different cultures. The second generation of immigrants is raised and educated in accordance with the value system of their parents‟ country of origin. Outside the home, they familiarize themselves with the national society‟s value system, while the kind of neighbourhood in which they live may be more or less encouraging. Cultural assimilation occurs when immigrants voluntarily adopt their new country's language and cultural practices to integrate into society and improve their chances of economic and social gain. Sociologists suggest that differences in cultural integration efforts matter less to the formation of acculturation preferences of the second generation. Somewhat surprisingly, the position of this growing segment of European societies is still underexplored, reasons for policy-makers concern. In this paper we are trying to reflect both the attitude of immigrants and that of European host countries towards integration and assimilation of new habits and cultures.