Integration of immigrants
The integration of immigrants, or migrant integration, is primarily the process of socioeconomic integration of immigrants and their descendants into a society through emancipatory and collective care values of the host country. Secondarily, it involves the gradual access to equal opportunities with other residents in terms of community duties and political participation. Central aspects of socioeconomic integration include overcoming barriers related to language, education, labour market participation, and identification with social values and the host country. The topic covers both the individual affairs of immigrants in their everyday lives and the socio-cultural phenomena of the host society.
Typologies
Social discourse about the integration of immigrants has often not only been about immigrants themselves, but also about the integration of the future generation, who are usually already naturalized or born as citizens, the "integration of people with a migration background" or "with an immigration history". Special cases of group-specific integration include the integration of linguistic, cultural or ethnic minorities who immigrated a long time ago. In Countries with official multiculturalism policies like Canada, integration may also involve navigating through racialized and gendered expectations which shape the experiences of first generation immigrants and their children. Here, one speaks of the integration of minorities, which overlaps with the integration of autochthonous minorities. When it comes to labour migration, one also speaks of the integration of foreign workers, particularly those who decide to stay in the country of employment, as occurred in Europe, for example, in the guest workers in Germany issue of the mid-20th century.A special case is the "integration of refugees", particularly in the case of a large refugee crisis. For refugees who are classified as refugees under the Geneva Refugee Convention, the situation in the respective host country is different in that migrants in general have certain obligations under international law which the host country must comply with, with regard to the integration of refugees. In the course of the 2015 European migrant crisis, the debate about immigration, refugee and asylum policy, the integration of refugees and migrants in general and the for people with unclear or temporary residency rights have become more of a focus of public attention.
Some countries that traditionally consider themselves as an immigration country have long controlled immigration in a targeted and needs-oriented manner, for example with a points-based immigration system, to regulate and promote cultural and economic integration. The presented new challenges regarding the integration of newcomers for German refugee policy.
Historical development
Historically, migrations affecting larger groups have either led to the development of ethnic minorities in the host countries if certain basic socio-cultural factors such as mother tongue, religious affiliation or customs and traditions have been retained; in this case, ethnographic and demographic differences can persist for many generations, sometimes with permanent or at least temporarily inadequate integration into the overall social structure, even leading to problems of oppression and persecution even after centuries of residence. In other cases, the descendants of migrants assimilate into the cultural makeup of a society by giving up their peculiarities until the only traces of their origins are highly stable identity features such as a "foreign" surname. In the case of complete assimilation, the name of origin is often changed as well. This can take the form of adopting a typical of the country or a less "foreign" seeming variant of the original name. Furthermore, it is also possible that migrants and members of established minorities partially retain characteristics of their culture of origin, but also adopt elements of the culture of the host country.John W. Berry uses the term integration as a contrast to the terms assimilation, segregation and marginalization.
Definition
"Immigrants" or "migrants"
In its study on the status of the integration of immigrants in Germany, published in 2024, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development reduces the group of what it calls "immigrants" or "migrants" to those born abroad without taking into account their nationality before immigration. This is because nationality can change, but place of birth cannot. The OECD systematically separates those born in Germany from immigrants. They generally have different problems than migrants in the narrower sense of the word. Of those born in Germany, people are only taken into account if both parents were born abroad. When analysing the integration process, immigrants and those born in Germany are analysed separately.The study avoids using the terms "migration background" and "immigration history". This is based upon. For example, grandchildren of immigrants are not included in the category of those born in Germany even if their mother, who was born abroad, married a man born in Germany through marriage migration.
"Integration"
There is no clear definition of the term integration in science. In the context of migration, "integration" is usually understood to mean social integration, which is usually considered in several dimensions.The integration of individuals is expressed in forms of social integration, i.e. the integration of individual actors into an existing system. The opposite of integration is social exclusion, also known as ' in a group context. This is also called social integration.
In contrast to social integration, the social sciences speak of system integration when it concerns the cohesion of a social system as a whole, for example the cohesion of society as a whole. The opposite of integration is called '; in the context of migration, there is talk of ghettoization or a division of society into parallel societies.
Four dimensions of integration
Integration has many aspects that are usually presented as dimensions., like Friedrich Heckmann, distinguishes four dimensions:- Kulturation ''/ cultural integration: in the sense of the acquisition of knowledge and skills including language
- Platzierung / structural integration: especially in terms of educational participation and labour market participation
- Interaktion / social integration: in the sense of social relationships in everyday life
- Identifikation / identity integration'': in the sense of a personal feeling of belonging to society.
Cultural integration
Structural integration
Structural integration or placement is achieved when integration indicators such as the distribution of educational qualifications, unemployment and transfer payment rates, etc. in the group of immigrants are similar to those in the overall population. Structural integration or placement also involves the acquisition of rights. Time series data show a continuous improvement in structural integration, which sometimes lasts several generations. points out that placement is fundamental and that without it is difficult to develop a social and emotional attachment to the host society.Social integration
Social integration takes into account the social contacts and group memberships of the individual. For example, club memberships, friendships and marriage behaviour are considered. For the first generation of migrants, contacts with members of their own culture of origin are often dominant. Interethnic contacts arise particularly in the education system and on the labour market. Sports clubs are also often considered to play a role in promoting integration. Participatory art projects that bring refugees and migrants together with communities in the host society are also considered to be particularly beneficial for integration.Contacts and relationships with members of the host society are very beneficial for social integration, while being restricted to one's own ethnic-social group and the emergence of ethnic colonies is a significant disadvantage. Below-average contact with networks of the host society has a negative impact on educational success and on the search for apprenticeships or jobs.
Identity integration
Identity integration is about the subjective feelings and definition of a person's belonging to the cultural or national community – about an identification with the country of residence in fundamental questions. Friedrich Heckmann describes this as the "last stage of integration". The sociologist Wilhelm Heitmeyer emphasises that it is important for integration that people perceive themselves as recognised. If immigrants feel that they belong to both the host culture and the culture of origin, this is referred to as hybrid identity. The host culture and the culture of origin are then part of the of the immigrant person.Integration as an acculturation strategy
According to the Canadian migration researcher John W. Berry integration is an acculturation strategy, i.e. a form of how minorities behave towards the dominant culture. Integration is in opposition to the other acculturation strategies of assimilation, and marginalisation. During integration, a migrant retains characteristics of his or her culture of origin and at the same time maintains lively exchange relationships with the majority culture.It is often reported that people with foreign-sounding surnames in Germany experience when looking for employment or housing. This is associated with racism or ethnic prejudice.