Identificational Orientations among Three Generations of Migrants in France.

This article examines patterns of migrant identification in France, focusing on 1st-, 1.5th-, and 2nd-generation migrants from five major sending regions using data from the nationally representative Trajectories and Origin (TeO) Survey. Employing latent profile analysis, the study identifies five distinct "identificational orientations": assimilated, active bicultural, othered bicultural, detached bicultural, and ethnic, revealing that biculturalism is prevalent and multifaceted despite France’s assimilationist policy context. The findings highlight significant variation in these orientations by migrant generation and region of origin, with experiences such as citizenship, education, discrimination, and transnational ties correlating differently with each orientation. The study challenges the assumption that strong ethnic identification threatens national cohesion and suggests that migrants often negotiate complex, multidimensional identities within assimilationist frameworks.