The political integration of immigrants has emerged as a critical agenda for policymakers across developed nations. Political integration represents successful integration since it requires substantial knowledge of the political system, interest in current affairs, legal rights, and inclusive policy. In order to contribute to the field, this study addresses two significant gaps in the existing literature on immigrant political participation.
First, while the significant role that media–both traditional and new–plays in political participation has been widely studied, its role in shaping immigrants’ political participation remains understudied. Moreover, existing research often relies on laboratory experiments or controlled environments, leaving real-world media consumption patterns among immigrant populations largely unexplored.
Second, previous works on political integration have often been limited to conventional measures of political participation like voting and party membership, and they have not rigorously assessed the various modes of political participation of immigrants. Contemporary political engagement spans diverse activities, from protests to social media expression. There have been suggestions that immigrants may be more active in non-institutional political activities such as demonstrations, yet an empirical attempt to study their participation in these alternative forms of engagement remains rare.
This study examines these questions in Germany, a nation of geopolitical significance with a history of immigration and leadership in EU asylum politics. The analysis employs GESIS panel data from 2021-2023, which provides a unique opportunity to observe various forms of news consumption (online and offline), news sources (public news, tabloids), and modes of political participation.
Preliminary analysis reveals that first-generation immigrants consume internet news more frequently than both natives and second-generation immigrants, with increasing reliance on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok. Additionally, while all groups similarly engage in seeking information, demonstrations, petitions, and organizational involvement, first-generation immigrants participate significantly less in expressing political opinions, contacting politicians, and consumer activism (boycotts and buycotts). Subsequent analyses will examine how media consumption and social media use influence these various modes of political participation.
