Categorization and differentiation as ‘useful others’: An intersectional perspective on the European labor market

This article examines the ways in which social class, gender, age, and origin interact in European labor markets, with a focus on young mobile individuals (YMI) and their role in maintaining social stability.The study employs qualitative research methods and an intersectional perspective, to examine both the structural categorizations and seg regations of these individuals, as well as their representation.The findings elucidate the dual construction of YMI as both culturally foreign and economically valuable, and how social discourses and institutional practices position and evaluate them within capitalist structures.The article underscores the necessity for comprehensive policy and institutional reforms to advance equity in education, labor markets, and social benefits.Furthermore, it recommends that broader comparative and quantitative research be conducted to more closely examine the intersectional challenges and to evaluate the impact of specific policies in this context in a more systematic manner.