Migration and the plurality of ethnic boundary work: A qualitative interview study of naming practices of migrants from former Yugoslavia in Germany

Most research on migration and ethnic boundaries is concerned with between a specific migrant minority the ‘majority society’ in destination country. However, groups are not homogenous; within-group that relevant their context of origin may also play role host context. Focusing migrants from former Yugoslavia, we analyse relevance Bosniaks, Serbs Croats Germany. We do so by interpreting parents’ practices first-name giving as instances boundary work. In case first names salient marker affiliation. Based 22 semi-structured interviews, distinguish three types work based giving. ‘Particularists ’ wish to express affiliation via names, they maintain both towards German majority society well other Yugoslavia. contrast, ‘cosmopolitans’ reject references base choice personal taste, often opting for international thereby rejecting Yugoslav groups. Finally, ‘negotiators’ stand between. They blur society, but ex-Yugoslav Overall, find migrants’ strategies shaped multiplicity reference groups, just relationship society.