Research question/goal:

The Children of Immigrants Longitudinal Survey – German Next Generation (CILS-GEN) extends the successful CILS4EU project while going beyond a simple follow-up study. It provides unique insights into the integration of both established and newly arrived immigrant generations, including refugees and examines their interactions and coexistence in the context of an increasingly polarised migration debate, shaped by the rise of right-wing parties. By introducing innovative digital trace data, CILS-GEN offers unprecedented insights into integration processes, capturing digital behaviours, online networks, and transnational ties. This allows for a deeper understanding of how digitalisation shapes social cohesion, education, and political engagement.

By integrating traditional survey methods with digital data, CILS-GEN moves beyond the analyses of offline interactions to explore integration in digital spaces, where a growing share of everyday communication and identity formation takes place. This novel approach ensures a comprehensive analysis of evolving societal dynamics in Germany.