La presente ricerca di dottorato si pone tre principali obiettivi: 1) studiare i processi di integrazione dei migranti, intesi nella loro bidirezionalità, multidimensionalità e processualità, con un focus specifico sulle pratiche di cittadinanza; 2) elaborare un set di indicatori al fine di misurare le pratiche di cittadinanza dei migranti nelle società riceventi; 3) identificare, tramite un modello di regressione logistica, la probabilità di essere un cittadino attivo considerando una serie di variabili indipendenti, quali classe di età, genere, background migratorio ecc. La ricerca è stata condotta mediante l’utilizzo combinato di metodi qualitativi e metodi quantitativi. Nello specifico in Svezia, paese scelto come caso studio, sono state realizzate 23 interviste semi-strutturate ad attori chiave della società, tra i quali rappresentanti istituzionali nazionali (Ministero del Lavoro), regionali e locali, sindacati, ONG, equality body, associazioni di migranti e migranti stessi. Successivamente, anche sulla base delle risultanze di questa fase, è stato elaborato un set di indicatori volto a misurare la partecipazione dei cittadini e, utilizzando tali indicatori, si è proceduto all’analisi secondaria dei dati della European Social Survey Round 6. / Citizenship practices are a central issue in migration studies, but not yet adequately reflected in the social sciences. In line with this, the three main objectives of this work may be summarised as follows. The first objective is to offer an analytical definition of citizenship practices capable of encompassing, both analytically and empirically, different forms of participation and at different levels (local, national, international, and transnational). The second is to elaborate a comprehensive set of indicators able to measure the level of migrant participation. Finally, an additional objective is to identify migrant-specific patterns of participation in Europe, with a particular focus on Sweden. The findings of my work are the result of the combined use of both qualitative and quantitative research methods. I conducted 23 semi-structured interviews with key actors of Swedish society (institutional actors, representatives of NGOs and of equality bodies, representatives of migrant associations). In the light of the results of the desk research and interviews, I have constructed a set of 25 indicators aiming at measuring the level of migrant participation, in the political, socio-economic and cultural-religious fields. Thus, using these indicators, I analyse data of the European Social Survey Round 6.

Effective citizenship practice in the United States has several important characteristics, which can provide the foundation for young people to access opportunity in employment and education. A continuum of policies, programs, and strategies meant to alleviate poverty have central themes of providing education and vocational opportunities, and yet large numbers of young minority people remain disenfranchised with no chance to succeed. There is even greater loss in the population of African American males who otherwise could achieve stable and strong economic life styles. Large unemployment and under-employment of African American males is documented through U.S. data sources where declining rates of labor force participation of black males is starkly evident (U.S. Census 2000). Geographic influences for minority youth also increase limited access to educational and employment opportunities (Slack & Jenson, 2002). What is clear is that minority youth are faced with a disproportionately difficult access to educational and employment opportunities as a result of diminished community social support, which should be the encouraging force in directing their goal achievements. Resiliency, as a strengths-based perspective, gained convincing prominence through the 1970s and 1980s. Initiative, self-control, self-esteem, and attachment are four protective factors of resiliency. Risk and protective factors are vital for intervention practices with individuals, families and communities. This study utilized protective factors that promote the skills and abilities necessary for encouraging resiliency and creating effective citizenship. iii Resiliency and the awareness of citizenship practices may bolster African American male youth successes in educational and employment opportunities. Youth who consistently and routinely engage in employment can increase the well-being of themselves, their families, and their communities. This study utilized a self-administered survey design to obtain responses from rural African Americans male youth, between the ages of 12 and 19 inclusive, to determine their resiliency skills and their awareness of citizenship practices (p=.005, one-tailed). In a pre-post test for significance, participants were asked to take a citizenship practices survey after the viewing of the video. This paired t-test displayed statistically significant results (p= .0015, t= 2.998, df =98). It is important to examine resiliency in rural African American male youth and how that resiliency interacts with the awareness of citizenship practices. There is little known about how rural African American, male youth perceive effective citizenship based on their level of resiliency. African American youth are better served toward successful employment and education through programs that are designed to increase citizenship practices awareness. There is reason to believe that citizenship practices, by way of training and community affirmation, with an infusion of resiliency skill techniques modeling, could open the doors wider for African American male youth who, for some, suffer from poverty, but for most suffer from the lack of free and open educational access which inhibits viable entry level employment opportunities.