Ethnic Networks and the Educational Achievement of Immigrants across the life-span

族裔网络在移民子女结构性融合方面的作用对于融合战略和政策至关重要。然而，这一问题在科学上存在严重争议。虽然一些学者认为，对种族关系的依赖限制了年轻移民的发展，但其他人认为，与同种族的关系可以弥补结构性劣势。从经验上看，这两种论点都有证据，不仅涉及不同接收国的不同移民群体，而且涉及教育生涯中的不同步骤;种族网络是否具有积极或消极影响，除其他外，似乎在很大程度上取决于生命历程。本项目旨在通过一个更全面的跨代融合模式，将这些看似矛盾的观点整合在一起。我们的理论出发点是社会资本理论，另一方面，框架选择模型（MFS），通过强调文化规范和价值观的作用，克服了标准的物质选择理论的局限性。我们的目的是解释为什么种族网络的确切作用取决于移民群体的具体特征，在教育生涯的特定阶段，并在教育成功的具体指标至关重要。为了检验各自的假设，我们将依赖于国家教育小组研究（NEPS）的数据，这些数据提供了一个独特的机会来检验特定的假设，因为它包含了关于儿童及其父母在几个教育阶段的种族网络和社会资本的丰富信息。

The role of ethnic networks for the structural integration of immigrants’ children is of crucial importance for integration strategies and policies. The issue is, however, under heavy scientific dispute. While some scholars reason that reliance on ethnic ties constrains the advancement of young immigrants, others argue that ties to co-ethnics can compensate for structural disadvantage. Empirically, there is evidence for both kinds of arguments, referring not only to rather diverse immigrant groups in diverse receiving countries but also to very different steps within educational careers; whether ethnic networks have positive or negative effects seems to depend, amongst others, heavily on the life-course. This project aims to integrate these seemingly conflicting views by a more comprehensive model of intergenerational integration across the life-span. Our theoretical starting points are social capital theory, on the one hand, and the model of frame-selection (MFS), on the other hand, that over-comes limits of standard Rational-Choice-Theories by emphasizing the role of cultural norms and values. Our aim is to explain why the precise role of ethnic networks depends crucially on specific characteristics of immigrant groups, on a specific stage of educational careers, and on specific indicators of educational success. To test respective hypotheses we will rely on data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) that provide a unique chance to test particular hypotheses, as it contains rich information on ethnic networks and social capital of children and their parents at several educational stages.