Making sense of large numbers: Biographical projects of young migrants

The paper focuses on the laymen’s perception of statistical reports, the discourses emerging around the statistical data and their possible adverse impacts on the educational future of young migrants. It attempts to build a bridge between qualitative and quantitative research in order to investigate how individuals interpret statistics, how they make sense of the numbers and what practices emerge from their dealing with statistical data. It examines how migrant students of German language courses, their teachers and a variety of consultants construct the students’ professional and personal future and how these constructions are influenced by individuals’ understanding of statistical classifications and data.