ETHNIC STRATIFICATION - THE EMERGENCE OF A NEW SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC-ISSUE

Recent debates on social inequality and race relations have focused on the issue of an emerging socio-economic issue: is there a correlation between socio-economic and ethno-cultural differentiation? Related li terature on assimilation and stratification has been analysed and hypo theses have been empirically tested. The analysis has revealed that so cio-economic differences among ethnic minority groups with a strong so cio-economic orientation towards Dutch society can largely be attribut ed to labour market chracteristics rather than ethno-cultural factors. The empirical testing has also revealed that ethnic minorities with a strong socio-cultural orientation towards their own community are in a less favourable socio-economic position than might be expected on th e basis of their market capacities. The study shows that the socio-eco nomic differences among the ethnic groups studied only extend to a lim ited degree over successive generations. Labour market arrangements ne ed to be reformed to draw outsiders into the labour system.