AQCI 1 Birch – National integration (1989)
Claire Slingsby
11-10-2015
European Policy and Practice towards Ethnic Minorities
Antonin Mikeš
Charles University
1. Central quotation
‘’Our concern is with the way in which ethnic and cultural groups have become wholly or partly merged into
national societies so as to support the political organization of the national state’’ (Birch, 1989, p. 36).
2. Argument
Birch (1989) argues that national integration is an important phenomenon in the contemporary world. Ethnic
or cultural minorities exist in nearly all national states and they either success or fail at integrating
nationally. Birch (1989) makes his argument by giving an overview of the history of national integration and
clarifying different processes. From the 1850s to the 1960s the focus has been on national integration and
nation-building, since the 1960s the focus has been on social pluralism and we can speak of several different
patterns of integration.
3. Question
What do the ethnic and cultural groups themselves think about national integration? How do they experience
national integration? I think that the text would have been more complete with the inclusion of ethnic and
cultural groups’ points of views on national integration.
4. Experiential connection
I think that national integration is definitely an important process that gets a lot of attention nowadays in the
media and politics. Especially groups that are seen to be failing at integrating nationally get a lot of
attention. For example the Moroccans and Turks in the Netherlands are often portrayed by politics and
media as people with a different culture who cause some problems.
5. Textual connection
The text written by Birch (1989) can be connected to the text written by Hancock (2000) on the
consequences of anti-gypsy racism in Europe. Hancock (2000) gives an example of an ethnic group, Roma,
who haven’t succeeded integrating nationally in European countries and who are victims of racism. ‘’It
destroys any sense of patriotism within the victimized group, and therefore presents a clear threat to national
unity—indeed, it can result in the emergence of two separate nations within one land;’’ (Hancock, 2000, p.
4). Hancock (2000) sees failing national integration as a consequence of racism. I wonder if Birch (1989)
thinks that failure at national integration is not a consequence of racism but more likely the cause of racism.
What is the causal relationship?
6. Implications
The text by Birch (1989) is helpful for understanding national integration, the processes that lie behind it,
successes and failures of it, and the mindset on national integration in particular times. National integration
is still an important phenomenon in the contemporary world. You can see this for example in current trends
in policy-making towards earned citizenship instead of citizenship right in countries like the Netherlands,
United Kingdom and France. These trends exist because immigrants pose challenges to the nation-state and
national integration (Van Houdt, Suvarierol, Schinkel, 2011).
References
Birch, A. (1989). Nationalism and National Integration. London: Unwin Hyman Ltd.
Hancock, I. (2000) ‘The Consequences of Anti-Gypsy Racism in Europe’. Other Voices, 2 (1), pp. 1-7.
Houdt, F. van, Suvarierol, S. & Schinkel, W. (2011). 'Neoliberal communitarian citizenship: Current trends
towards 'earned citizenship' in the United Kingdom, France and the Netherlands'. International Sociology, 26
(3), pp. 408-432.
Sample Self assessment form
Department of Public and Social Policy, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University
AQCI ASSESSMENT FORM
Student’s
name:
Name of
assessor:
Lena Apfel
Date:
12.10.2015
Essay title:
Excel
lent
1) Is the chosen quotation central to the
author’s argument?
Go
od
Aver
age
Po
or
Not
accept
able
Comments
+
+
It is rather a rough overview, but
its hard to include all of Birch’s
points
2) Has the main argument been fully
understood (including its ‘for’ and
‘against’ sides, if applicable)?
+
3a) Is the question raised
important/relevant/interesting?
3b) Has this question not been fully
answered in the text?
+
+
4) Is the experiential connection
relevant/interesting?
+
5a) Is the textual connection
relevant/interesting?
5b) Has it been cited properly?
5c) Has it been adequately explained
how the present text's argument
contrasts with, contradicts, confirms,
clarifies, or elaborates the other text's
argument or point?
Very interesting thought!
+
+
It gives a good impression how
the impact integration Birch
explained has very practical
outcomes.
+
6) Have the implications been well
understood, can they have a practical
impact for policy making?
7) Expression/Presentation
a) Are the style, grammar and general
use of English adequate?
b) Is the AQCI professionally presented?
Essay grade:
Further comments:
+
+
Maybe better to talk about why
integration failed?