Opportunities and constraints for civic and political engagement of young immigrants: the cases of Angolans and Brazilians in Portugal

This paper consists in a preliminary study as part of PIDOP (Processes Influencing Democratic Ownership and Participation), project involving eight European countries (Portugal, Germany, Turkey, Czech Republic, Sweden, Italy, Belgium and United Kingdom). The main goal of the study is to provide an understanding of civic and political participation of young people in Portugal. The concept of “political participation” is used to refer to activity that has the intent or effect of influencing either regional, national or supranational governance, either directly by affecting the making or implementation of public policy or indirectly by influencing the selection of individuals who make that policy (definition adapted from Verba, Schlozman & Brady, 1995). By contrast, the term “civic participation” refers to voluntary activity focused on helping others, achieving a public good or solving a community problem, including work undertaken either alone or in cooperation with others in order to effect change (definition adapted from Zukin, Keeter, Andolina, Jenkins & Delli Carpini, 2006).