Identifying and solving problems for civic participation of immigrants

Abstract

The aim of the study was to find out the reasons why immigrants tend to participate less than locals for developing an active policy of including newly-arriving immigrants in the Spanish democratic system. An empirical study was undertaken in which 26 immigrants of different sexes, ages and countries of origin were given an in-depth interview about the relationship of personal and social problems with the search for solution strategies. By broadening the theoretic political opportunity structure (POS) model towards a model of perceived political opportunity structure it was found that immigrants tended towards individual solutions for many structural problems.