Youth and Their Challenge to Promote a Fairer Multicultural Society: a Qualitative Study of African Immigrant Activists

Immigrants’ activism in associations has been identified as a stepping stone for their integration within a new society (Handy and Greenspan, Nonprofit Volunt Sect Q 38:956-982, 2009). Within a liberation psychology perspective (LP) (García-Ramírez et al., Am J Community Psychol 47:86-97, 2011), the present study explores how being active in a national association (NA) or ethnic association (EA) can promote the integration of immigrants in social service associations. Sixteen interviews were conducted with young immigrants of African origin to investigate their motivations for activism, their perception of the Italian context, and the changes their activism promotes on the personal and community level. Thematic analysis suggests that young immigrants choose to become active in national and ethnic associations for the same reasons and are mainly driven by cultural motivation. The results also show that, on the individual level, (a) activism practiced in national associations tends to expand social networks with natives and develop a sense of agency, bicultural competency, and a positive social identity; (b) activism practiced in ethnic associations promotes the formation of political thinking and intercultural competence.