Multiraciality and Social Mobility: Challenges Faced by Racialised Citizenship Across Europe

Dear Colleagues,

Contemporary European societies are now marked by unprecedented ethnic and racial diversity, driven by decades of migration and demographic changes. This Special Issue will explore how race and ethnicity intersect with social stratification and mobility in a “superdiverse” Europe, where immigrants, their descendants, and multiracial individuals face complex pathways to inclusion. There is increasing awareness that experiences of racism and discrimination can severely harm one’s sense of belonging and restrict opportunities for upward social mobility among immigrant and minority groups. However, European public discourse has often been reluctant to discuss racial inequalities openly. After WWII, the idea of race was replaced mainly by ethnicity, enabling many nations to adopt a “colorblind” or non-racist stance. Scholars like Alana Lentin argue that this silence masks underlying hierarchies where whiteness and Europeanness are assumed, leaving racialized groups—whether identified by visible minority status or multi-ethnic background—often perceived as ‘the other,’ with their citizenship felt as second-class despite formal equality.

Europe’s approach to diversity is increasingly fragmented. While international migration has created vibrant multicultural and multiracial communities, xenophobic groups and exclusionary policies are also gaining strength. Institutional and structural racism persist, fueling disparities in education, employment, housing, and other sectors, which hinder progress for racial and ethnic minorities. Additionally, Eastern Europe's unique history under communist regimes offers an alternative view on multiracial and multicultural issues, shaping different bases for managing diversity and multicultural policies.

Multiculturalism in Western and Eastern Europe differs in origins, scope, and motivation. In Western Europe, policies developed mainly in response to post-war immigration from former colonies and non-European regions, aiming to integrate immigrant-origin populations while preserving cultural identities through measures like anti-discrimination laws, language support, and public funding for cultural organizations. In Eastern Europe, diversity is rooted in historical national minorities from multiethnic empires and shifting borders, with policies focused on language rights, cultural autonomy, or reserved parliamentary seats for recognized groups. While Western approaches often emerged from domestic political debates and liberal ideals, Eastern policies have largely been shaped by EU accession conditionality and international agreements, with limited application to recent migrants and persistent marginalization of groups like the Roma.

In post-communist Eastern Europe, states have pursued several distinct approaches to managing diversity and multi-ethnicity, shaped by historical legacies, nationalism, European integration, and minority activism. Latvia and Estonia, for instance, emphasized the primacy of titular languages and implemented citizenship rules favoring the majority population. Some states adopted systems of national minority rights protection, such as guaranteeing special parliamentary seats for certain minority groups—although these provisions rarely extend to all minorities. The Roma population, in particular, remains heavily marginalized and excluded from such mechanisms. Exclusionary nationalism was especially pronounced during the violent dissolution of Yugoslavia, though Croatia today reserves parliamentary seats for its Serbian minority.

Moreover, the adoption of multicultural and minority protection policies in Eastern Europe has often been driven by EU conditionality. Candidate and member states implemented legal frameworks for minority protection as part of the requirements for accession, although the extent and effectiveness of these measures vary considerably.

Research indicates that racialized communities often encounter systemic obstacles—such as barriers to quality education, fair employment, wage disparities, and residential segregation—that perpetuate disadvantages across generations. Additionally, immigration and citizenship laws in some European countries can unintentionally reinforce racial boundaries of inclusion; for example, by favoring certain ethnic diasporas or setting integration standards that marginalize non-white newcomers. Thus, ‘racialized citizenship’ describes how legal membership in a country does not always translate to social belonging or equal opportunities. Many non-white or minority citizens in European nations still face issues related to national identity, recognition, and mobility that their majority peers do not.

This Special Issue aims to explore the challenges faced by racial and ethnic minorities throughout Europe, focusing on how multiracial and multiethnic identities affect social mobility and citizenship. We welcome empirical and theoretical work examining how racialization, migration, and policy regimes influence individuals' opportunities, identities, and sense of belonging. Additionally, we seek studies that propose pathways for change—through policy reforms, community initiatives, or rethinking concepts of identity and citizenship beyond narrow racial or ethnic lines. By integrating perspectives on race and ethnicity as both analytical categories and lived experiences, this Special Issue will reveal the dynamic relationship between personal histories and wider structural forces in modern Europe.

Some of the key themes and questions that this Special Issue will address include the following:

• Migration, ethnicity, and multiracial identities: How have post-war migration patterns and intermarriage fueled the growth of multiethnic and multiracial populations in Europe? What implications does this have for ideas of national identity and citizenship? We invite research on the experiences of individuals and families with mixed heritage, as well as comprehensive studies on how immigration has contributed to the diversity within European societies.
• Institutional Racism and Social Mobility: How do systemic biases in areas like education, labor markets, housing, healthcare, or criminal justice impede the social mobility of racial and ethnic minority groups? Studies could explore evidence of structural racism in different countries or compare policy results, showing how racial inequalities in schooling, employment, or income continue across generations.
• Citizenship Policies and Racialized Belonging: How do laws and policies related to citizenship, integration, or migration challenge or reinforce racial hierarchies? Contributions could examine citizenship systems, naturalization rules, or multicultural policies in various European countries, focusing on how these impact the inclusion or exclusion of immigrants and their descendants. For instance, does obtaining legal citizenship guarantee full societal acceptance, or do minorities continue to be marginalized even after becoming citizens?
• We promote research using an intersectional approach that examines how race or ethnicity intersect with class, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or other identity axes to create distinct patterns of privilege or disadvantage. Such studies might explore topics like social mobility among minority women, the racial and gender dynamics within working-class communities, or the experiences of youth from immigrant backgrounds as they navigate the challenges of higher education and labor markets.
• Historical and Comparative Perspectives: How have legacies like colonialism, slavery, and past immigration waves influenced current ideas of race and ethnicity in Europe? What are the differences between Western and Eastern European countries in addressing multiculturalism? What kind of impact did EU policies have on national approaches? We invite historical analyses or comparisons that shed light on today’s issues—such as examining how various European countries have understood and handled ethnic diversity, or exploring the origins and social development of “mixed-race” communities in Europe over time.
• Responses and Strategies for Inclusion: What policies, grassroots efforts, or initiatives have successfully addressed institutional racism, boosted social mobility for minorities, or promoted inclusive citizenship? Papers could explore anti-racism initiatives like the EU Anti-Racism Action Plan 2020–2025, affirmative action, diversity programs, and stories of empowerment and resistance from racialized citizens striving for equal belonging in their communities.

This Special Issue aims to deepen scholars' understanding of how multiethnic and multiracial identities are integral to Europe's narrative of social mobility—encompassing both challenges and progress. We focus on exposing challenges such as discrimination, policy shortcomings, and socioeconomic disparities, while also exploring potential routes to achieve greater equity and inclusion for Europe’s diverse communities.

This Special Issue in Genealogy is inherently interdisciplinary, welcoming contributions from sociologists, historians, political scientists, anthropologists, and scholars concerned with race, ethnicity, migration, and citizenship. By integrating these fields, we aim to present a comprehensive view of racialized social dynamics, connecting structural analysis with personal experiences and historical backgrounds.

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of up to 300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to Genealogy editorial office (genealogy@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.

References:

• Balibar, Etienne. 2004. We the People of Europe? Reflections on Transnational Citizenship.Princetion University Press.
• Bauman, Zygmunt. 2016. Strangers at Our Door. Polity Press.
• Chopin, Isabelle, and Carmine Conte. 2024. Time to talk about and Tackle Structural and Institutional Racism in the EU. Policy Brief.
• Crenshaw, Kimberle. 1989. Demarginalizing Intersaction of Race and Sex: A Black Feminist Critique of Antidiscrimination Doctrine, Feminist Theory and Antiracist Politics. University of Chicago Legal Forum: Vol. 1989, Article 8.
• Hellgren, Zenia, and Bálint Ábel Beremenyi (Eds.). 2022. Racialized Citizenship in Superdiverse Europe Special Issue. Social Sciences.
• Kanitsar, Georg. 2025. The same social elevator? Intergenerational class mobility of second-generation immigrants across Europe. European Sociological Review, 41(1): 1-16
• Kymlicka, Will. 2007. Multicultural Odysseys. Navigating the New International Politics of Diversity. Oxford University Press.
• Lentin, Alana. 2020. Why Race Still Matters. Cambridge: Polity Press.
• Vertovec, Steven. 2019. Talking around Super-Diversity. Ethnic and Racial Studies 42(1): 125–139.
• Vertovec, Steven, and Susanne Wessendorf (Eds.). 2010. The Multiculturalism Backlash: European Discourses, Policies and Practices.
• Yuval-Davis, Nira. 2011. The Politics of Belonging. Intersectional Contestations. SAGE publications.

Dr. Tjaša Učakar
Dr. Damjan Mandelc
Dr. Ana Ješe Perković
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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• race
• ethnicity
• multiraciality
• social mobility
• migration
• citizenship
• institutional racism
• Europe
• inclusion
• belonging
• intersectionality