26 research outputs found
Examining 'postmulticultural' and civic turns in the Netherlands, Britain, Germany, and Denmark
There is a widely shared view that the appeal of multiculturalism as a public policy has suffered considerable political damage. In many European states the turn to âcivicâ measures and discourses has been deemed more suitable for the objectives of minority integration and the promotion of preferred modes of social and political unity. It is therefore said that the first decade of the new century has been characterized by a reorientation in immigrant integration policiesâfrom liberal culturalist to the âreturn of assimilationâ (Brubaker, 2001), on route to a broader âretreat from multiculturalismâ (Joppke, 2004). In this article, we argue that such portrayals mask a tendency that is more complicated in some cases and much less evident in others. To elaborate this, we offer a detailed account of the inception and then alleged movement away from positions in favor of multiculturalism in two countries that have adopted different versions of it, namely the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, and two countries that have historically rejected multiculturalism, namely Denmark and Germany. We argue that while there is undoubtedly a rhetorical separation between multiculturalism and civic integration, the latter is in some cases building on the former, and broadly needs to be understood as more than a retreat of multiculturalism. Taking seriously Banting and Kymlickaâs argument that understanding the evolution of integration requires the âthe mind-set of an archaeologist,â we offer a policy genealogy that allows us to set the backlash against multiculturalism in context, in manner that explicates its provenance, permutations, and implications
Migrant networks and beyond: Exploring the value of the notion of social capital for making sense of ethnic inequalities
Swedenâs Burka Ban: Policy Proposals, Problematisations, and the Production of Swedishness
A âcivic turnâ in Scandinavian family migration policies? Comparing Denmark, Norway and Sweden
The tension between choice and need in the housing of newcomers: A theoretical framework and an application on Scandinavian settlement policies
Migrants' Access to Social Protection in Sweden
While the Swedish welfare state has undergone an intensified market orientation and a number of cutbacks since 1990, it has maintained many of its universal characteristics. It still provides all residents with a rather extensive system of benefits from the cradle to the grave. This chapter contributes to a systematic and detailed analysis of eligibility criteria and conditions for accessing social benefits in five core policy areas of the Swedish social security system. As universalism continues to be a cornerstone of the Swedish welfare state, nationality or the immigration status of a person does not condition his/her entitlement to social security benefits. More recently, however, a political debate has emerged regarding immigration and the welfare system, both in terms of the benefit system being a magnet that attracts migrants and concerning the capacity of the system to cope with large-scale immigration. By discussing the main features of the Swedish welfare regime and key patterns and policy developments in the field of migration, the chapter seeks to account for recent developments, trends and directions in the access to social protection for residents, non-national residents and non-resident nationals