Integration, Multiculturalism and Managing Cultural Diversity

Integration, Multiculturalism and Managing Cultural Diversity

Introduction

The concept of integration is broadly utilized by sociologists to indicate the process of immigrant adjustment in their destined country and the experiences which could be acquired and shared between the immigrants and the host countries at the various levels of social organisation (Bulcha, 1988). Scholars, Ager & Strang (2008) state that “Integration is a long term and two way process of change that relates both to the conditions for and the actual participation in aspects of life in the given geographical area”. The term integration is considered as the longer term process through which immigrants or particular social groups become full and equal participants in the various dimensions of society (Gray 2006).

Although there is an overabundance of similar terms which have the same meaning as integration such as incorporation or accommodation, Integration is the most widely used concept throughout Europe. The integration of immigrants, broadly speaking refers to their inclusion and participation in the host society, culture, economy, political sphere or their “capacity to participate fully in society” (Fanning, 2011). Integration goes much broader than citizenship rights which are only a small part of the process of immigrant integration into a society.

In looking at approaches to integration in Europe in the present day, it is possible crudely to distinguish between two models. One is assimilation and the other aims for a certain degree of multiculturalism.

Assimilation

Assimilation is the steady progress by which a person or group belonging to one culture adopts the practices of another culture, thereby becoming part of that culture and lessening the distinctions between the various ethnic and racial groups. Sociologists often distinguish between forced and unforced assimilation. In forced assimilation, a person or group is compelled to take on the practices of another culture, such as by adopting that culture's language and religious traditions. In unforced assimilation, a person takes on the practices of another culture but is not forcibly compelled to do so. Sociologists use the concept of assimilation to describe one way a person or group of a particular culture (such as immigrants) might respond to or blend with another culture, or how a minority cultural group might relate to a dominant cultural group (Wadsworth & Kubrin, 2007).

An example of assimilation in Ireland is the Irish Travellers assimilation into Irish society. In the 1960s the majority of Travellers in Ireland were nomadic, assimilation was successful in denomadising the Irish Travellers, but in the 1980s the policies of assimilation were challenged and there was a recognition of distinctiveness of the Traveller identity and inclusion in equality and anti-racist projects (Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989).

Similarly in France assimilation resulted in the violation of Sikhs religious freedom when the banning of religious signs in schools and workplaces came into place, this included the removal of turbans and Muslim headscarves. Assimilation resulted in the infringement of religious rights (Neiyyar, 2012).

Multiculturalism

Another form of integration is multiculturalism. In the cultural and political arena multiculturalism can be described as the coexistence of a range of different cultural experiences within a group or society. It is often used as being synonymous with `cultural pluralism', resulting in a certain amount of theoretical and conceptual confusion. More recently, the trend in literature has been to use similar terms, such as interculturalism and `trans-culturalism', with far more precise meanings (Bolaffi et al. 2003). Multiculturalism initiated in Britain in the 1970s and is seen as an advance on assimiltation, it is “concerned with finding common ground while simultaneously valuing rather than ignoring cultural differences” (Kivisto & Croll, 2012). Multiculturalism is based on a ‘politics of recognition’ (Charles Taylor, 1992) - the idea that certain group identities must be recognized in society in order for members of that group to participate fully.

An example of Multiculturalism in Ireland is the Educate Together national schools which guarantee equality of access and esteem to children “irrespective of their social, cultural or religious background” (Educate Together, 2016).

Which works best?

When it comes to deciding which form of integration is best, the EU set out the “Common Basic