Demographic Change, Educational Expansion, and Structural Assimilation of Immigrants: The Case of Germany.

This study investigates whether the life circumstances of immigrants and natives in Germany have converged in recent decades. To answer this question adequately, the fact that Germany experienced demographic change and educational expansion at the same time has to be taken into account. On the theoretical side, the connection of demographic variables, education, and a basic assimilation argument is derived from an investment and production view of social behaviour. On the empirical side, a method is proposed that combines the multivariate regression approach with common measures of segregation. This technique allows an opportune and convenient assessment of assimilation trends controlling for relevant structural variables. An analysis of scientific use files of population censuses in1970, 1989, and 1996 indicates that immigrants and Germans clearly converged net of the structural changes, at least over generations. Demographic change plays an ambiguous role within this process. Educational expansion, however, has led to a widening educational gap resulting in barriers to further structural assimilation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]