Research project Social Ties and Immigrant Integration: Bridging and Bonding Ties in France and Sweden
However, recent studies highlight the complexity in the relationship between social ties and integration. Bridging ties, such as native contacts, generally promote economic outcomes. They can also strengthen positive attitudes and further integration, as intergroup contact theory argues.
However, when immigrant groups are large and unified, this can induce feelings of threat among the native population, as ethnic competition theory expects. Bonding ties or co-ethnic contacts may then act as a safety network. Thus, diversity can promote integration but may also lead to barriers to integration and the role of social ties depends on the context. This project assesses how social ties impact integration in two countries with distinct migration histories. While immigration to France is dominated by immigrants from former colonies such as Algeria and Morocco, refugees and family reunion migrants make up the bulk of immigrants in Sweden.
French Trajectories and Origins (TeO) survey and Swedish register data
This project exploits the French Trajectories and Origins (TeO) survey and Swedish register data to investigate how immigrants’ tendency to have bridging and bonding ties differs in France and Sweden. It also assesses how social ties shape integration with a focus on the school-to-work transition and NEET (not in education, employment or training) among second-generation immigrants. While immigrants may experience a number of disruptions related to relocation, the decisive test is often thought to be the successful integration of their children.
Considering that men and women’s economic activity differs between immigrants and natives in the two countries, gender differences will be addressed throughout. The project’s results will make important empirical and theoretical contributions and will moreover have direct implications for integration policies.
Peer-reviewed journals
- Bjuggren Andersson, A., & Weber, R. 2024. Navigating bias? An assessment of access, use, and returns to social capital in the school-to-work transition of the descendants of immigrants. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility, 94(2024): 100919. DOI: 10.1016/j.rssm.2024.100919
- Weber, R. 2024. Gender and Social Contacts: Labor Market Entry among Refugee and Family Reunion Migrants in Sweden. Nordic Journal of Migration Research 14(3): 4, pp. 1–20. DOI: 10.33134/njmr.664
- Weber, R., Ferry, M., & Ichou, M. 2024. Which Degree for Which Occupation? Vertical and Horizontal Mismatch Among Immigrants, Their Children, and Grandchildren in France. Demography 11670148. DOI: 10.1215/00703370-11670148
- Weber, R., & Saarela, J. 2023. Who Migrates in a Context of Free Mobility? Assessing the Reason for Migration and Integration Patterns using Cross-national Register Data from Finland and Sweden. European Journal of Population 39(17), pp. 1–28. DOI: 10.1177/0197918318767929
- Weber, R., & Massey, D. S. 2023. Assessing the Effect of Increased Deportations on Mexican Migrants’ Remittances and Savings Brought Home. Population Research and Policy Review 42(24), pp. 1–27. DOI: 10.1007/s11113-023-09772-4
- Weber, R., & Vogiazides, L. 2023. Heterogeneity or consistency across life domains? An analysis of disparities between second-generation migrants and the Swedish majority population. Research in Social Stratification and Mobility 83(2023) 100744, pp. 1–28. DOI: 10.1016/j.rssm.2022.100744
- Weber, R. 2022. Apprehension and Educational Outcomes among Hispanic Students in the United States: The Impact of Secure Communities. PLOS ONE 17(1), e0276636. DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276636
Book chapters
- Toma, Sorana, Ognjen Obucina and Rosa Weber. 2026. Forming friendships in a multicultural society: the composition of friendship networks. [Nouer des amitiés dans un contexte multiculturel : la composition des réseaux amicaux.] In: Cris Beauchemin, Mathieu Ichou and Patrick Simon (Eds.), Trajectoires et Origines 2. Aubervilliers: Ined Éditions, p. 141-160.