Social inequality and cultural differences: school results of the children of African immigrants

Abstract

In this article we analyze the data from a research project carried out in 2004 which involved a survey (questionnaire) of 1000 young people descended from parents originating in the PALOP (countries whose official language is Portuguese). We conclude that their school results are very similar to those of young people in general and that social inequality factors are a key differentiator of those results. Going against the grain of multiculturalist reductionism, we argue that the issues raised by the new school population involve complex arrangements of «old» and «new» forms of social inequality and cultural difference.