The Roles of Language and Education in Adolescent Immigrants' Civic Integration during the Transition to Adulthood

Between 1970 and 2000, the percentage of immigrant children in the U.S. school population tripled. Historically, schools have been important in guiding immigrant children into American civic life. However, recent emphasis on test performance, especially in reading, writing, and math, has forced schools to turn their attention away from civics courses. What effect will that have on the integration of immigrants into American life? To answer these questions, Chandra Muller will investigate how schools facilitate the integration of immigrant youth into civic society through exposure to civics related curricula. In addition, she will explore how the retention or loss of a native language affects young immigrants’ integration into civic society, and whether having peers who speak the same native language affects integration. Muller hypothesizes that English proficiency will be related to political participation, but that in certain environments, other language skills will also be associated with civic involvement, especially in co-ethnic communities with the potential to mobilize politically. The results of the research will be presented in a book and a pair of journal articles.