SM628

European Policy and Practice towards Ethnic Minorities

Department of Public and Social Policy, ISS FSV UK

FallLecturer: Antonin Mikeš

abtmikes@gmail.com

NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

DefinitionsForms of Assimilation

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Racism is Racism

Are there different forms of racism? What are they?

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Are there different forms of racism? What are they? Answers #1

Type:  Individual Belief in superiority of Whites Violence against "non-Whites“ Denial of the existence of racism in any form. Belief that lack of success of "non-White" persons is due to genetic

inferiority or racial-group malaise. Type:  Cultural

Language superiority Law, politics defined from a White perspective In education, science, philosophy and so forth, the contributions of White

people are the best. Type:  Institutional

Law enforcement policies are more stringent for people of color. Unemployment and underemployment for people of color. Inadequate housing

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Are there different forms of racism? What are they? Answers #2

Racist behaviour may be direct (overt) or indirect (covert) in nature. Direct racial discrimination:

is the unfair or unequal treatment of a person or a group on racial grounds. An example would be an employer who won't hire someone on the basis of their cultural or linguistic background. This type of discrimination is typically deliberate.

Indirect racial discrimination: is seemingly equitable on the surface, but in practice disadvantages

people from particular groups. For example, a rule that says that all students must not wear anything on their heads could result in discrimination against students whose religion requires the wearing of headwear. Indirect racial discrimination can occur even when there is no intention to discriminate.

Institutional racism (or systemic racism): describes forms of racism which are structured into political and social

institutions. It occurs when organisations, institutions or governments discriminate, either deliberately or indirectly, against certain groups of people to limit their rights. 4

Today

• Positive action vrs pos. Descrimination• Theory- Descriptive vrs Normative• Governmental ‘choice’ outcomes• Assimilation- 4 forms-

• Pro’s vrs Con’s

• Integration• Forms• Theories• Policies

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What is the difference between:

Positive Action

Positive Discrimination

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Positive action What is positive action? The term 'positive action' refers to a number of methods

designed to counteract the effects of past discrimination and to help abolish stereotyping.

Action can be taken to encourage people from particular groups to take advantage of opportunities for work and training. This can be done when under representation of particular groups has been identified in the previous year.

Under this broad meaning positive action may include initiatives such as the introduction of non-discriminatory selection procedures, training programmes or policies aimed at preventing sexual harassment.

http://www.equality-online.org.uk/equality_advice/positive_action.html

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Positive action cont.

Positive action

Employers may not discriminate in the actual selection for a post on the grounds of sex or race but the legislation does allow measures to be taken to encourage members of under-represented groups to take advantage of opportunities. However, positive action which is lawful should not be confused with positive discrimination which is unlawful. (ACAS)

http://www.equality-online.org.uk/employment_legislation/race_legislation_definitions.html

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Theories affect outcomes

How nation states incorporate ideals into practice-

Multiculturalism / integration / equality / anti-racism / diversity

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Different theories of Multiculturalism

• Normative –• cultural diversity as good-• resulting in what may be called a loss of national cohesion- Canada

today.• Diversity as enriching

• Descriptive – post 1945-• rapid influx of people from all over the world into countries like the UK,

France Netherlands, Canada.- resulting in a grudging acceptance of new idea’s and heterogeneity

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Different theories: Gov. Policy

• Government policy (Canada, Australia)• Canada – (normative policies)

• the Constitution of Canada recognizes the importance of preserving and enhancing the multicultural heritage of Canadians;

• the Government of Canada recognizes the diversity of Canadians as regards race, national or ethnic origin, colour and religion as a fundamental characteristic of Canadian society and is committed to a policy of multiculturalism designed to preserve and enhance the multicultural heritage of Canadians…..

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Different theories: Gov. Policy

• Government policy (Canada, Australia)• Australia– (normative policies) Multicultural Australia: United in Diversity (Gov slogan 2003)

• Responsibilities of all• All Australians have a civic duty to support …our freedom and equality

and enable diversity in our society to flourish.• Respect for each person • Fairness for each person

• All Australians are entitled to equality of treatment and opportunity. • Benefits for all

• All Australians benefit from productive diversity, ie. the significant cultural, social and economic dividends arising from the diversity of our population. Diversity works for all Australians.

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Different theories: Institutional Policy

• Institutional policies EU• Race Equality Directives EU.(Art.1)

• The purpose of this Directive is to lay down a framework for combating discrimination on the grounds of racial or ethnic origin, with a view to putting into effect in the Member States.

• the principle of equal treatment. • COUNCIL DIRECTIVE of 9 February 1976 on the implementation of the

principle of equal treatment for men and women as regards access to employment, vocational training and promotion, and working conditions (76/207/EEC)

• Other EU directives

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Different theories of Multiculturalism

• Descriptive – post 1945-• rapid influx of people from all over the world into countries like the UK,

France Netherlands, Canada.- resulting in a grudging acceptance of new idea’s and heterogeneity

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Different theories: Institutional Policy

• Institutional policies UK• UK – racial equality,• Commission for Racial Equality

• The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is a publicly funded, non-departmental public body, set up under the Race Relations Act 1976 to tackle racial discrimination and to promote equal opportunities and good race relations.

• Race Relations Act (1976)• Race Relations Act protects (against) racial discrimination in most, but

not all, situations

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Different theories: Institutional Policy

• Institutional policies Canada

• Canadian Multiculturalism Act• “pluralism that was a fact of Canadian life.”

• 1960 Passage of the Canadian Bill of Rights • 1969 Book IV of the Bilingualism and Biculturalism Commission Report

emphasizes the bilingual and multicultural nature of Canada • 1969 Introduction of the Official Languages Act • 1971 Introduction of Canada's Multiculturalism Policy • 1982 Adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms • 1988 Passage of the Canadian Multiculturalism Act • 1997 Renewed Multiculturalism Program announced

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Different theories: Institutional Policy

• Institutional policies Australia• The Living in Harmony initiative, including Harmony Day.

• See: Living In Harmony

• The Access and Equity strategy.• See: Fairer Government Services and Programmes

• The Diversity Works! programme • See: Diversity Works!

• The Muslim Community Reference Group • See: Muslim Community Reference Group

• The National Action Plan • See: National Action Plan

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Theories

Assimilation / Integration

‘good’ or ‘bad’

How different are the concepts?

Assimilation as only one form of Integration!

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Forms of Assimilation

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Integration of Immigrants

Forms of Integration (4)- Segmentation, Marginalization, Multi- integration, assimilation

Assimilation-

pros and cons

Integration policyObstacles- countries comparedTowards the future

21Adapted from Heinz Fassmann IOM 2010

Forms of Assimilation

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Marginalization

Migrants are neither tied in their origin country nor in their new destination, they are marginalized, they live between two societies

Part of the labour force migration of the 60s and 70s, Asylum seekers

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Forms of Assimilation

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Segmentation

ie. Parallel SocietiesMigrants have not „arrived“ in the receiving

society, and are still a part of their origin society

Muslim communities in large cities; elite migrants with diplomatic status

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Forms of Assimilation

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Multiple Integration

Migrants are part of the receiving society and at the same time part of the origin context

Bi-/Multilingualism;

Hybrid identities - values and ethnic norms both of countries of origin as well as receiving society; switching identities in dependency of social environment

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Forms of Assimilation

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Assimilation

One sided (Chicago school) or interactive adaption process (Esser, Alba) which leads to dissolution of the „ethnic dimension“;

No relation to the country of origin (or ethnic community) and only interaction with the host society;

The concept of assimilation refers to the „Chicago school of sociology“ (1920s);

Idea of melting pot

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Assimilation

The concept refers to the “Chicago school of sociology” (1920s);

The assimilation as a concept can be differentiated:1. Migration and contact2. Competition and conflict of resources3. Adaption (acculturation) to the mainstream society4. Finally disappearance of the ethnic origin

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Assimilation

Assimilation as a concept is mostly based on Esser 2001:

4 dimensions of assimilation (Esser):Structural assimilation: Status, profession; housingCognitive assimilation: language, norms, behaviour;Identificatory assimilation: IdentitySocial Assimilation: Inter ethnic contacts- marriage

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Pros and cons of the dif types

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Which form is beneficial?

Multiple integration Pro- Con-

Assimilation Pro- Con-

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SegmentationPro- Con-

MarginalityPro- Con-

Pros and Cons

MarginalityNo pros only cons; it could never be a target of integration

policy to keep migrants out societal relations and structures;

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SegmentationPros: strong coherence within the group of migrants or ethnic

minorityCons: „parallel society“ contradicts to the idea of cohesion;

loyalty conflicts and ethnic motivated riots

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Pros and Cons

AssimilationPros: strong cohesion, no loyalty conflicts, ethnic structures

cannot be maintained easily Cons: extinction of cultural capital, language capacity and

useful ties to the home countryCons: difficult definition: what is assimilation?For discussion German „Leitkultur“

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Pros and Cons

Multiple Integration Pros: mediates between different societies; cultural capital as

economically beneficial Cons: border between cultural autonomy (e.g. familiar rights)

and common norms remains unclear; loyalty conflicts (in order of norms, traditions, spoken language, and behaviour: tradition vs. modernism, country of origin vs. new home country)

Cons: cognitively difficult for migrants (knowledge of two or more languages/histories/norms)

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