Democratic Mobilisation in Immigrant Organisations

Abstract

By analysing the interactions between political opportunity structures and immigrant organisations’ mobilising their members to political participation, this article suggests and applies a systematic classification comprising three forms of democratic mobilisation: immigrant organisations function as a public arena for their members; they increase knowledge of political participation among members; and they develop a political culture among members. The article concludes that open political opportunity structures offer scope for action to resourceful activists. These activists see that the local political opportunity structures allow scope for political participation by persons with immigrant background, and use the immigrant organisations as an arena to develop a political culture of political participation. Immigrant organisations can serve as agents of political integration through projects, which aim to mobilise members to political participation.

Keywords

• immigrant organisations
• political opportunity structures
• democratic mobilisation
• political participation