What Lies behind School Failure, Youth Gangs and Disconnections with the Host Society for the Second Generation? The Case of Young People of Latin American Origin in Spain

This paper studies the factors that lead young people with a migrant background towards school failure, participation in gangs and social disconnection. The young people with migrant background which this study focuses on are children whose parents have migrated; many of these children have consequently been born and raised in the host country. It pays attention to the impact of the parents’ labour conditions on their children’s well-being and social integration. Concentrating on the structure of society, it reflects on the advantages and disadvantages given to different social groups which result in unequal access to opportunities and resources within the host country. These disadvantages produce economic, educational and general well-being inequalities for people from a migrant background. However, gender, social class and age differences are also necessary to understand the barriers that block integration of ethnic minorities, even when born in the country. Comparing the Spanish case to the wider European context, this paper analyses the reasons behind early school leaving, youth gangs, and other forms of disconnections for children of migrants in Spain