Research Activities
- Immigrant Political Incorporation in Comparative Perspective
- December 5 - 6, 2008
- This is closed to the public.
- The goal of the workshop is to develop the next step in the social science analysis on immigration to western democratic states. Scholars in this field have recently developed a rich literature of case studies of particular groups, locations, or political activities. Building on this work by defining terms, generating testable hypotheses, and addressing questions of measurement, causation, consequences, and comparison, the workshop’s goals are ambitious: how to leverage particular insights to develop a few broad theories capable of shaping the field of immigrant political incorporation in western nations, and thereby to help orient the collective research agenda. The conference participants will consider a variety of issues: What does "immigrant political incorporation" encompass? What are the mechanisms of political incorporation, and what are the mechanisms that block or distort it? With whom and under what circumstances do immigrants form political coalitions? How does immigrant political incorporation now resemble or differ from immigrant political incorporation a century ago? How does political incorporation map onto social, economic, and cultural incorporation? Which differences across countries—such as demography, political structure, and national culture—have the biggest impact on different pathways toward immigrant incorporation or its failure? Despite their important differences, are there similarities across nations in how immigrants can be successfully brought into the political system? The event will bring together about twenty scholars, including social scientists engaged in the study of immigration as well those whose research, though not specifically focused on immigration issues, may shed light on the processes by which new groups and actors become politically incorporated.
- Field of Interest: Comparative Politics
- Conference Chair
- Hochschild, Jennifer L.
- Faculty Associate; JWE Faculty Committee (on leave spring 2009). Henry LaBarre Jayne Professor of Government; Professor of African and African American Studies; and Harvard College Professor.
- Contact Information
Shalhope, Adelaide- Conference and Special Events Coordinator.
- Email Contact Form
- Tel: (617) 495-5001
- Fax: (617) 495-8292
- 1737 Cambridge Street
K224, mailbox #68
Cambridge, MA 02138