Religious participation, second generations and educational attainment: what connections?

It is widely recognized that foreign origin pupils’ school achievement represents a good indicator of the inclusion processes result. The elements determining the dynamics that give shape to the educational attainment are mainly referred to the familiar socio economic aspects, nevertheless, these cannot by themselves sufficiently explain its exits, both because within the migratory flows they assume inedited and emphasised forms, and because enter this relation other aspects that, despite being common to all students, emerge as well more intensified and particular amongst migrant populations. These aspects are manifold and they refer mainly to the capability to generate and use social capital, both in its generic form, and in the specific one (ethnic social capital), considered as a resource able to foster young people along their educational path. Religion, religiosity and religious participation are among the most powerful means trough which migrants can produce and precisely for this reason here discussed. The purpose of this contribution is therefore to present a reasoned review of the literature in order to identify when and in what circumstances religious aspects are a source of support for migrants’ (school) success, or, at the opposite, when it gets inhibited.

Keywords: Religiosity - religious participation - second generations - social capital - ethnic social capital

Andrea Ravecca, Partecipazione religiosa, seconde generazioni e successo scolastico: quali connessioni? in "MONDI MIGRANTI" 2/2010, pp , DOI: 10.3280/MM2010-002003