Las asociaciones de inmigrantes en España. Práctica clientelar y cooptación política

Abstract

This article analizes the immigrant associations, not only "from the bottom", from its material and symbolic significance for the populations of reference, as from "the top", from the perspective of the State. This socio-institucional analysis contemplates the action taken by the Spanish administration with respect to the immigrant associations (place assigned to them on the institutional context of the receptor society and the nature of the bonds between these structures and the State), with the object of determinig if we are facing a demonstration of the self regulation power of civil society or witnessing, in reality, the phenomenon of political cooptation.