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This article compares the subjective understanding of success and socioeconomic mobility of three second generation groups, Mexicans in the US, North African in France and Turks in Germany. Accounting for the desire for upward social mobility among members of the three groups, we investigate how children of immigrants perceive their social positions including their educational experiences and early labor market experiences. Despite their disadvantaged position, Mexican Americans regard their experiences as considerable success given their significant departure from their parents' meagre statuses and ability to fulfil expectations set within a materialist and consumerist society. French North Africans, on the other hand, emphasize their limited ability to experience upward mobility as a result of the restrictions imposed on them by French society and especially schools in a context that strongly values formal credentials. Children of immigrants from Turkey by comparison put faith in the tracking system as a conduit to good, stable jobs, but encounter labor market discrimination when they finish their studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the subjective understanding of success and socioeconomic mobility of two second generation groups, Mexicans in the US and North African in France. Accounting for the culture of mobility among members of the two groups, we investigate how children of immigrants think about key factors in their incorporation and social mobility including their educational experiences and their early labour market experiences. We also look into the cultural and structural factors that shape our respondents' perceptions. Despite their disadvantaged position, Mexican Americans regard their experiences as considerable success given their significant departure from their parents' meagre statuses and ability to fulfil expectations set within a labour migration cultural repertoire. French North Africans, on the other hand, emphasize their limited ability to experience upward mobility as a result of the restrictions imposed on them by French society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to compare the educational outcomes of children of immigrants in France and in the US to understand the educational inequalities and opportunities for social mobility for the second generation in both countries. The comparison is focused on children from two groups: North Africans in France and Mexicans in the US. By using two longitudinal datasets, the French Educational Panel Survey and Add Health, we examine aspirations, expectations and attainment in secondary education in the two contexts. We explore in particular the role of parental education on attainment. We also utilize in-depth interviews to understand their educational experiences and their impact on their perceptions of social mobility. Immigrant families have high educational aspirations in both contexts. North Africans express however higher aspirations than native French with similar background, while there are no differences between second-generation Mexicans and the Majority group. Second generation children are disadvantaged in school in both countries: they are more likely to drop out and less likely to graduate from high school, but most of the disadvantages are related to their social background. Net of social background, North African second generation are more likely to get the French high school diploma. This success is relative insofar as they receive the technological baccalauréat, which is less valued and provides a less certain route to higher education. This comparison shows some convergence on ethnic inequalities in education, despite institutional differences. However, these differences create different school processes and experiences that lead to different views on social mobility [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]