Suchergebnisse

Acknowledgements -- Contents -- List of Figures -- List of Tables -- 1: Introduction -- International Scope -- Outline -- References -- 2: Luxembourg-In a Multicultural Context -- Introduction -- Luxembourg-A Brief History -- The Early Origins and the Period of Expansion -- Period of Division -- Congress of Vienna in 1815 -- The Treaty of London 1839 -- The Road to Independence -- Second Treaty of London 1867 -- The Nassau-Weilburg Dynasty-Luxembourg's Own Dynasty -- Development of a National Identification -- "Discovery" of History -- The Myth of Foreign Domination (Fremdherrschaft)

Multicultural societies are a phenomenon that can be increasingly observed worldwide. This book focuses on the question of how individuals living within a multicultural society experience the meeting of cultures. Murdock combines both a thorough review of the theoretical body of research concerning multiculturalism and related concepts such as globalization, acculturation and biculturalism with specific empirical research evidence, providing new insights into factors which shape our openness towards a plurally composed society. Multiculturalism, Identity and Difference contains original research conducted within the 'natural laboratory' that multilingual, multicultural Luxembourg provides. This is a country where the foreign population makes up nearly half of the total population. In the era of globalization, culture contact is a daily occurrence and this book makes a contribution to the questions of if and how culture contact can be experienced as an opportunity rather than a threat by individuals.

Research on European identity has consistently found low identification with this supra-national category. One of the reasons for the continued interest in the concept of supra-national identities is the question whether this collective medium of identification would provide a sense of integration with other social groups. Theories of self and identity construal are presented, which also highlight how we process information about ourselves and others. Past research has pointed to the role of experience levels with a supra-national entity such as Europe for identification with that entity to occur. Whereas persons with low experience levels of Europe have shown consistently low identification with Europe, in some instances, higher experience levels of Europe (i.e. through language competence, exchange programs, work experience) have also produced higher identification with Europe. Within the present series of studies we assessed levels of identification with Europe amongst a group of students who have high exposure to Europe. The objective was to assess, whether high exposure translates into high spontaneous identification with Europe. In Study 1) we looked at the salience of European identification in the spontaneous self-concept. In Study 2) students were asked to self-categorize in terms of nationality. European identification was neither elicited in the spontaneous self-concept nor used as a self-description in terms of nationality. These findings are discussed against a background of identity theories including, national identity and wider collective identities. European identity is likely to remain elusive and alternative research approaches are suggested within a globalizing world.

Multiculturalism Ideology (MCI) describes the "appreciation of the value of cultural diversity for a society, and a need for mutual acceptance and accommodation that promotes equitable participation" (Berry, 2016, p. 416f). The aim of the present study was to explore if and how diversity-related attitudes and the perception of less privileged members of society are linked and thus contribute to the growing body of research on social inequity awareness. Whilst some studies have focused on MCI and minority rights, awareness of structural discrimination and lowering prejudice, few have focused specifically on Critical Consciousness (CC), the reflection about inequalities in society and action taken to address them. Components of CC include Critical Reflection (Perceived Inequality and Egalitarianism), Political Efficacy (Internal and External), and Critical Action (Sociopolitical Participation). The present study draws on a quantitative design. An online questionnaire was launched in four countries, France, Luxembourg, Hong Kong, and Malaysia, which differ in their approaches in dealing with diversity. Measures included the Critical Consciousness Scale, the Political Efficacy Short Scale with the subscales regarding internal and external political efficacy and the Multicultural Ideology Scale (MCI). The questionnaire was made available in English, French and German. The total sample comprised 120 participants (68.2% female, Mage = 26.40, SDage = 9.71). Results indicate that MCI was highly positively correlated with Perceived Inequality and Egalitarianism and negatively with External Political Efficacy. Mean scores for CC components and MCI did not statistically differ across the four countries, while the correlation patterns between CC components and MCI were different. This finding suggests that CC may develop quite independently of cultural influences, as perception of unequal treatment and status differences between groups is an issue prevalent in all societies. More detailed results and implications as well as limitations of the present study will be discussed.

During the COVID pandemic governments across the globe put restrictions in place to curb the spread of the virus. During the strict lock-down phase, people were only permitted to leave the house for essential reasons, and visiting of family members living in a different household was not allowed. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible effects of these COVID restrictions on well-being according to different family models. Extending Kağitçibasi's (2007, 2013) postulated family model by Manzi et al.'s (2006) aspects of family cultures (enmeshment, cohesion, autonomy and social support) we first explored, if these family models can be replicated in Luxembourg. We then tested, if lock-down restrictions affected family models differently in terms of well-being. A total of N = 244 (Mage = 35 years, SD = 12.2; 73% female) completed our online questionnaire at the time of the strict lockdown in April-Mai 2020 in Luxembourg. To capture the impact of the pandemic, the questionnaire was divided into two parts. First, participants answered questions about their well-being, family culture and closeness to their parents in general. Participants were then reminded of COVID lockdown restrictions and asked to answer under these restrictions. Using cluster analysis we identified three family models, namely psychologically interdependent families (focus on cohesion and social support), independent families (focus on autonomy), and interdependent families (focus: enmeshment, cohesion and social support). The independent family cluster showed lower well-being before and during the pandemic compared to psychologically interdependent families. Our findings suggest that different family models as postulated by Kağitçibasi are indeed affected differently by the pandemic. Furthermore, there appears to be a particular association between cohesion and well-being. Implications of these findings will be discussed also in the family model framework.

Throughout the lifespan, unemployment has severe consequences in terms of economic exclusion, and overall social exclusion, but is compounded in older age. Within the EU, a growing number of older adults (50+) are affected by joblessness. Job loss at a later stage in a professional career may determine an early and permanent exit from the labour market with significant psychosocial consequences. Herein lies the age-specific risk for older unemployed adults: once becoming unemployed they are at greater risk at staying unemployed. As a result, older unemployed people may face income cuts, deprivation of a central adulthood role and their mental and physical health may suffer. In this chapter, we draw attention to the latent functions of work, and the psychosocial consequences of job loss in later life. Applying a life-course perspective, the aim of this chapter is to explore how job loss can be framed as a form of acute economic exclusion, and how this exclusion can have significant implications for poor mental health. In a context of rising retirement ages, and the lack of preparedness of the labour market to deal with an ageing workforce, it is essential to understand these dynamics to guide policy development.

AbstractMotivations for migratory movements tend to be contextualised at an individual level and refer to opportunities related to the country of destination. In the Portuguese context, this view is increasingly limited when we analyse the emigration of young adults since this process directly involves family figures in the country of origin, as they tend to be the first source of support. This paper aims to explore the dimensions of intergenerational solidarity, analysing conflict as transversal dimension and the presence of ambivalence, for a proposal of behaviour typologies in Portuguese transnational families. Using a qualitative approach, young Portuguese adults who emigrated in the European space and Schengen area (N = 22) were interviewed addressing questions about their migratory projects, as well as their dynamics with their parents in Portugal. A thematic analysis was carried out with the support of the NVivo software. The results indicate four behaviour typologies: (1) high cohesion and dependence, (2) full solidarity tested with resilience, (3) affective and functional solidarities, with normative and value divergences, and (4) no solidarity and irreconcilable differences. The findings suggest the impact of intergenerational norms and values, as they may be at the origin of communicational patterns that increase well-being and resilience in migration projects.