SM628 Definitions
Forms of Assimilation
European Policy and
Practice towards
Ethnic Minorities
Department of Public and Social Policy,
ISS FSV UK
Fall
Lecturer: Antonin Mikeš
abtmikes@gmail.com
NOT FOR PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
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Racism is Racism
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Are there different forms of racism?
What are they?
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Are there different forms of racism?
What are they?
Answers #1
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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
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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.
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Today
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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
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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 underrepresentation 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 practiceMulticulturalism / 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, nondepartmental 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
Assimilationpros and cons
Integration policy
Obstacles- countries compared
Towards the future
Adapted from Heinz Fassmann IOM 2010
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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 Societies
Migrants 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 contact
2. Competition and conflict of resources
3. Adaption (acculturation) to the mainstream society
4. 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; housing
Cognitive assimilation: language, norms, behaviour;
Identificatory assimilation: Identity
Social 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
ProCon-
Assimilation
ProCon-
Segmentation
ProCon-
Marginality
ProCon-
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Pros and Cons
Marginality
No pros only cons; it could never be a target of integration
policy to keep migrants out societal relations and structures;
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Segmentation
Pros: strong coherence within the group of migrants or ethnic
minority
Cons: „parallel society“ contradicts to the idea of cohesion;
loyalty conflicts and ethnic motivated riots
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Pros and Cons
Assimilation
Pros: strong cohesion, no loyalty conflicts, ethnic structures
cannot be maintained easily
Cons: extinction of cultural capital, language capacity and
useful ties to the home country
Cons: 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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