Immigrants’ modes of incorporation in Spain. A multivariate quantitative approach

Analysing immigrants’ incorporation patterns into host countries is essential for understanding social inequalities in contemporary societies. This study examines the living conditions of immigrants in Spain, moving beyond univariate approaches to social stratification by assessing the interaction between categories of privilege and disadvantage. As the second-largest recipient of immigrants in Europe, Spain offers valuable insights into the relationship between migration and social inequality. Using Geometric Data Analysis and clustering methods, we provide a structural and multidimensional perspective on social cleavages, revealing segmented assimilation patterns related to housing, employment, and education, influenced by age, origin, and social class. Our findings also show that second-generation immigrants experience only partial assimilation. This comprehensive analysis offers a deeper understanding of how various social categories shape immigrants’ integration, shedding light on the complex interplay of factors that influence their experiences in Spain and potentially other European countries with similar immigration trends in recent decades.