Identifications and Relationships Between the Majority and Minority Groups. The Discourse of Young People of Immigrant Background
Studies conducted in the 1990s and 2000s highlighted the multiple identifications of young people of immigrant background attending Montreal schools and their detachment from the “francophone Québec” identity. This detachment from the majority group identity is found in other societies. A critical analysis of ethnic relationships allows us to understand this boundary between minority and majority groups by taking into account the power relationships involved. We analyze 60 qualitative interviews conducted with young people from immigration backgrounds in Montreal. A typological analysis highlights three types of rapport in relation to the majority group as well as multiple self-identifications that arise from these. It turns out that many of the young respondents have developed a tense relationship with the majority group and that most of them identify with their country of origin and with Canada. In the conclusion, we discuss the social and political implications of these results.