Capital Social y Participación Ciudadana de los Capital Social y Participación Ciudadana de los Imigrantes en Espana Y EuropaImigrantes en Espana Y Europa

Madrid, 31 de Octubre de 2008Madrid, 31 de Octubre de 2008

Social Capital and Civic Engagement of Migrants in Portugal

Ana Paula Beja Horta

CEMRI/ Universidade Aberta

THEORETICALTHEORETICAL FRAMEWORK FRAMEWORK

Social Capital and Political ParticipationHypothesis

Ethnic civic communities – Concepts and Indicators

Organizational DensityInstitutional CompletenessDensity of Networks

The Cape Verdeans in the Region of The Cape Verdeans in the Region of LisbonLisbon

Cape Verdean settlement periods

Phase I. Mid 1960sLabour migrants in construction and public works activity sectors.

Concentrated in inner city (S.Bento area)

Phase II. Mid 1970sMigration boom. Chain migration, labour migration.

Settlement in first peripheral ring of Lisbon.

Over-representation in slum neighbourhoods and public housing

estates

Fig. 1 – Capeverdean nationals in the total number of Fig. 1 – Capeverdean nationals in the total number of

foreigners in the municipalities of Greater Lisbon - 2001foreigners in the municipalities of Greater Lisbon - 2001

Fig. 2 – Percentage of Capeverdean nationals in the Fig. 2 – Percentage of Capeverdean nationals in the total number of residents - municipalities of Greater total number of residents - municipalities of Greater

Lisbon 2001Lisbon 2001

Fig. 3 – Percentage of Capeverdean nationals in the total number Fig. 3 – Percentage of Capeverdean nationals in the total number

of foreigners - municipalities of Great Lisbon in 2001of foreigners - municipalities of Great Lisbon in 2001

The Cape Verdeans in the Region of The Cape Verdeans in the Region of LisbonLisbon

Phase III. 1990s to present

Residential concentration in first ring with some spread to second ring of Lisbon

Concentration in the municipalities of Lisbon, Amadora ,Oeiras, Loures and Sintra

Lisbon 2852 (0.5% of total resident population)

Amadora 5171 (2.9%)

Oeiras 2642 (1.6 %)

Cape verdeans in Lisbon, Amadora Cape verdeans in Lisbon, Amadora and Oeirasand Oeiras

Great visibility of Cape verdean communities in Amadora and Oeiras

Cape verdeans represent 41.3% of total foreign population in Amadora and 36% in Oeiras

Development of formal and informal networks and associations

Historical importance of Cape verdean associational movement in Lisbon. Presence of core organizations in the municipality

Major Dimensions of AnalysisMajor Dimensions of Analysis

Organizational StructureSocial Networks of organizations

Inter-organizational networks

Intra-organizational networks

Transnational networks

Political Activities

Major Results from empirical workMajor Results from empirical work

Organizational Structure The majority of associations are small-scale operations

which orient themselves towards social services. Associations in Lisbon target mainly immigrant and

cultural issues with a combination of social care activities Associations in Amadora and Oeiras function primarily as

social services agencies Fifty percent of associations in Amadora are welfare

organizations (IPSS) Resources and mobilization capacity linked to the

organizational model of associations

Organizational structure (cont.)Organizational structure (cont.)

Organizations’ self-identity

Amadora and Oeiras Capeverdean self-understanding relies heavily

on social and community care rather than on ethnic identity

Lisbon Self-identification is based primarily on ethnicity

(culture) and immigration.

Social Networks of OrganizationsInter-organizational links

Lisbon

ACIME NGOs Political parties Very few cross-ethnic

organizational relations (Casa do Brasil e AGUINENSO

Amadora and Oeiras

ACIME Charity organizations Political parties Very few contacts with

other migrant organizations

(Casa do Brasil and AGUINENSO)

Social Networks of OrganizationsSocial Networks of OrganizationsIntra-organizational linksIntra-organizational links

The density of relations between associations is far superior than those registered in the inter-organizational field

Associations with highest number of contacts and collaborations with non-immigrant organizations are also the associations with the highest level of intra-organizational group relations

Four node points in the organizational network:Associação Caboverdiana, Morabeza, Unidos de Cabo Verde e Moínho da Juventude

Transnational NetworksTransnational Networks

88% of associations interviewed had linkages with Capeverdean associations all over the world

Privileged contacts with associations Rotterdam (Avanço and Cape verdean association of the

Netherlands) Italy (Cape verdean Women’s Association of Italy, Cape

verdean association of Italy) France (Cape verdean associations in Nice, Lyon and Paris Cape Verde (national and local organizations)

Political ParticipationPolitical Participation

Political engagement Overall tendency towards non-confrontational forms of claims-making Protest activities focus on integration, citizenship and immigration issues

Amadora and Oeiras• Mobilization related to daily-life in poor neighbourhoods

Lisbon• Mobilization related to citizenship laws and immigration

policies

Political Participation (cont.)Political Participation (cont.)

The majority of associations in Lisbon and Amadora is involved in political election campaigns

Immigrant associations in Lisbon and Amadora have member candidates and members elected at the local level

In Lisbon, associations have a higher level of political participation in regards to member candidates and members elected at the national, local and country of origin levels

Political Political ParticipationParticipation (cont.) (cont.)

Participation in local consultative bodies – The overwhelming majority of the associations do not

participate in local advisory councils – Very few associations are members of consultation

committees or task groups addressing specific policies targetting migrant communities

– Weak receiving society institutional frameworks

Organizations with higher organizational density (social capital) are also those that participate the most in political activity

Future DirectionsFuture Directions Findings tend to support the assumption that ethnic civic

engagement potentiates political participation

Need to further inquire into the dynamics of how and in what circumstances social capital is convertible into political capital

Need to explore the extent to which ethnic leaders mediate the political participation of membership

Address the degree to which transnational social capital may increase politiccal capital in the receiving society and in country of origin

Need to further explore the role of local opportunity structures in shaping migrants’ political integration