The Fertility of Migrants and Minorities in Europe : Fertility Intentions of Turkish Migrants in Germany and the Turkish Minority in Bulgaria Compared

This book analyses the relationship between assimilation and fertility intentions for migrants and minorities in Europe. Building upon assimilation theory, it is argued that both migrants and minorities assimilate in the process of intercultural encounters. Given that fertility is part of the cultural dimension of assimilation, it is likely to be influenced by assimilation. Therefore, theories on assimilation and fertility are merged theoretically as well as empirically. Using data from the Generations and Gender Survey, the empirical section builds upon a comparison of Turkish migrants in Germany and the Turkish minority in Bulgaria. Building upon cluster analyses, six clusters within Germany as well as five clusters in Bulgaria are developed to account for heterogeneity of groups. Comparing these clusters in terms of assimilation and fertility intentions it becomes clear that the Turkish minority does not differ in their fertility intentions from the majority. For Germany, Turkish migrants differ from German natives regarding their fertility intentions, but differences are explained by assimilation, especially structural characteristics. When comparing migrant and minority, differences in fertility exist and are accounted for by cultural dissimilarity. Acknowledgements Abstract Contents Abbreviations List of Figures List of Tables 1 Introduction 1.1 Ethnicity and Social Inequalities in Europe 1.2 Ethnicity, Fertility, and Assimilation in Europe 1.3 Shortcomings and Research Question(s) 1.4 Data and Case Selection 1.5 Proceeding of this Dissertation 2 Migrants, Minorities, and Assimilation 2.1 Defining Migrants and Minorities 2.1.1 Ethnic Group Formation 2.1.2 The Turkish Minority in Bulgaria 2.1.3 The Turkish Migrants in Germany 2.2 The Origins of Assimilation Theory 2.3 Segmented Assimilation Theory 2.4 Dimensions of Assimilation 2.5 Assimilation Theory in Europe 2.6 Minority Assimilation Outcomes 2.7 Berry’s Acculturation Model 2.8 Towards a Model of Migrant and Minority Assimilation 2.9 Summary 3 Explaining Migrant and Minority Fertility 3.1 Fertility in the Context of Social Demography 3.1.1 Classical Approaches Explaining Fertility 3.1.2 Fertility Decision-making 3.1.3 From Fertility Intentions to Fertility Behavior 3.2 Migrant Fertility 3.2.1 Theories Explaining Migrant Fertility 3.2.2 Migrant Fertility and Assimilation 3.3 Minority Fertility 3.3.1 Social Characteristics Hypothesis 3.3.2 Sub-culture Hypothesis 3.3.3 Minority Status Hypothesis 3.3.4 Shortcomings and Potentials 3.3.5 Minority Fertility and Assimilation 3.4 Summary and Research Hypotheses 4 Data Analytic Strategy 4.1 Data 4.1.1 GGS in Bulgaria 4.1.2 GGS in Germany 4.2 Sample Construction 4.3 Methods 4.3.1 Cluster Analyses 4.3.2 Descriptive Analyses 4.3.3 Structural Equation Modelling 4.3.4 Generalized Structural Equation Modelling 4.3.5 Robustness Checks 4.4 Variables 4.4.1 Variables for Ethnic Clusters 4.4.2 Endogenous Variable 4.4.3 Exogeneous Variables: Fertility 4.4.4 Exogeneous Variables: Assimilation 4.4.5 Control Variables 5 Assimilation Status of Turkish Migrants in Germany and Turkish Minority in Bulgaria 5.1 Bulgaria 5.1.1 Cluster analysis 5.1.2 Demographic Background 5.1.3 Structural Assimilation 5.1.4 Cultural Assimilation 5.1.5 Social Assimilation, Identity and Intergroup Relations 5.1.6 Summary 5.2 Germany 5.2.1 Cluster Analysis 5.2.2 Demographic Background 5.2.3 Structural Assimilation 5.2.4 Cultural Assimilation 5.2.5 Social Assimilation, Identity, and Intergroup Relations 5.2.6 Summary 5.3 Minority Sample 5.3.1 Cluster Analysis 5.3.2 Demographic Background 5.3.3 Structural Assimilation 5.3.4 Cultural Assimilation 5.4 Conclusion 6 Relationship Between Assimilation and Fertility Intentions 6.1 Turkish Minority in Bulgaria 6.1.1 Traits, Desires, and Intentions within Bulgaria 6.1.2 Influence of Assimilation on Fertility Differences 6.1.3 Robustness Checks for Bulgaria 6.2 Turkish Migrants in Germany 6.2.1 Traits, Desires and Intentions within Germany 6.2.2 Influence of Assimilation on Fertility Differences 6.2.3 Robustness Checks for Germany 6.3 Comparison of Minority and Migrant Group 6.3.1 Traits, Desires and Intentions within the Migrant and Minority Sample 6.3.2 Influence of Assimilation on Fertility Differences 6.3.3 Robustness Checks for Minority Sample 6.4 Summary 7 Discussion 7.1 Summary 7.1.1 Definition of Migrant and Minority from a Boundary Making Perspective 7.1.2 Assimilation Status of Turkish Migrant and Minority Groups 7.1.3 Fertility of Migrants and Minorities 7.1.4 Mediating Influence of Assimilation 7.2 Critical reflection 7.2.1 Theoretical Limitations 7.2.2 Methodological Limitations 7.3 Conclusion References