versión impresa ISSN 1665-8906
GUALDA CABALLERO, Estrella. Factors Explaining the Integration, Identity and Sense of Belonging to Spanish Society among Youth Immigrants in Huelva. Migr. Inter [online]. 2011, vol.6, n.2, pp. 9-39. ISSN 1665-8906.
In this article on the social processes of integration in adolescents and youth, we describe and explain the factors which, in a representative sample of 413 immigrant adolescents in Huelva, Spain, are linked to having a sense of belonging to Spain. Approximately fifty percent of those interviewed reported a sense of belonging to Spain, although the degree of belonging to this country was lower or non-existent in other cases. This paper attempts to delimit the elements that largely explain the degree of the sense of belonging to a country, which is crucial to understanding the processes of identificative integration. We found several variables linked to the sense of belonging to Spain: life satisfaction, structural opportunities perceived in Spain, orientation towards the Spanish language (monolingual or bilingual), multiple territorial identification, participation in Spanish celebrations and activities, and trust in Spanish people.
Palabras llave : second generation immigrants; youth; social integration; cultural identity; Spain.