Youth transitions and integration in a multicultural society

From a sociological perspective youth as a life phase is mainly characterized by processes of socialization and individual development on the one hand and the managements of transitions to adulthood on the other. Transitions to adulthood are related to young people’s development of social and economic independence and their societal integration and participation. Transitions have changed substantially over the past decades: they are postponed, de-standardized and supposed to be rather subject to individual choice than the result of prescribed patterns. Hurrelmann distinguishes four domains of transition: (1) the development of intellectual and social competence (in order to achieve the occupation role), (2) the ability to enter a relationship (in order to fulfil the partner and family role), (3) the ability to use the market (in order to enter the consumer role) and (4) the development of a system of norms and values (in order to assume the political citizen role). From a functionalist point of view, these tasks form the key dimensions for societal integration. Young people have to assume certain social roles in order to maintain the continuity of the society. But in the perspective of a theory of action, social roles also form the key elements for the individual development. Young people are considered to be active agents and “navigators” that call the offered social roles and role behaviours into question and develop them further. hese theoretical concepts form an important reference for the migration and integration research as well. Since the developmental tasks refer to an individual life-course perspective, the focus of migration and integration research is rather on the institutions and the participation of young migrants. Based on the scientific discourse in the field of migration research Willems, Filsinger and Rotink define four main dimensions of integration: structural integration (education, employment), cultural integration (values, normative orientation, language), social integration (friendship, peer group), and identity integration (sense of belonging to the host society). The present article takes up some of these dimensions in order to describe the situation of young migrants in Luxembourg. It presents selected empirical data for the Grand Duchy and focuses on the different dimensions of integration.