The New Europe
Assimilation, Backlash and
Combating Racism in the New Europe
Assimilation in
Europe
DA Coleman. 1994. ÒTrends in fertility and intermarriage among immigrant
populations in W Europe as measures of integration.Ó Journal of Biosocial Science 26(1): 107-136.
Other evidence not
considered/presented by Taras
With Third World
Immigrants/Migrants
Most Different
Culturally, Developmentally
From agrarian,
traditional societies
Variation among
groups, measures, even same group in different countries (e.g., Turks in Belgium
vs. France)
Even among these,
he finds rapid rate of assimilation
Esp. of W Indians
in UK, young Maghrebis in France
Measures of
assimilation
Fertility
expected to decrease (i.e., converge with host society)
It does decline
overall, for all groups, some more quickly (1970-1990s)
But differences among
groups
Less so for Muslim
women from Turkey, N Africa, S Asia
Delays in age at
marriage
Yes, rising ages found
Inter-Marriage
Increasing rates of
intermarriage seen as strongest mark of assimilation
Grows out of contact
with host society (education, work, residency)
He finds increasing
rates
If ColemanÕs
findings are true, why the perception of EuropeÕs immigrants/migrants as
permanent outsiders?
How has Europe tried
to incorporate its foreign population?
Through what means?
The European
Social Model
Extend social
rights to all, create social inclusion
Through housing,
access to education, acquiring language skills, and ultimately, access to employment
Countries vary
somewhat here in terms of language policies, housing schemes, job training,
etc.
Taras argues
inclusion has not happened
Data Taras gives,
somewhat weak
Does give some
public opinion data about inter-racial marriage in Poland, even there less than
half say it would upset them to have a close family member marry someone of
another race
Other evidence,
especially in countries most affected, i.e., with the largest populations of
minorities
1. rise of racist
attacks against foreigners
2. violence
a. breach of public order
e.g. the riots in
France in 2005
b. targeted violence
against the host society
1.
murder of Pim Fortuyn
2.
murder of Theo van Gogh
3. 7-11 bombings in London
3. immigrants attitudes, feelings of
belonging
satisfaction with
quality of life
does not increase
over length of time in country (up to 20 years!)
in fact, 2nd
generation immigrants (i.e., children of immigrants)
are more
dissatisfied than 1st generation
sense of alienation,
discrimination
So, it is
possible that there is more conflict about inter-ethnic relations, increase of
violence
Independent of
objective measures of immigrant assimilation
Thus, Why the
backlash?
Is the backlash against
immigrants/minorities purely a result of racism?
DonÕt think so.
ThereÕs been a
pronounced shift in attitude, had been much more welcoming/open
So why the
change?
1. globalization
rise of
neo-liberalism, competition in global economy
2. pressures to
retrench welfare state
changing
demographics, economic restructuring
these pressures
intensify, find justification in the face of the perception of
failed
assimilation of foreign populations
i.e., the
perception that the European Social Model has not been able to assimilate
foreigners
3. Expansion of the EU
created new pool
of ÒforeignÓ workers in the West
more competition
sense that even
more foreign populations not needed, less desirable
EU Institutional
Response to the Backlash
European Union Agency for Fundamental
Rights (FRA)
2008 Annual
Report
Findings:
UK has most
effectively applied legislation fighting discrimination and leads in the annual
amount of sanctions and the range of sanctions levied
Many countries still
have no ministry/office devoted to monitoring/ensuring equality
No sanctions were
levied 2007-2007 in:
Czech Republic,
Denmark, Germany, Estonia, Greece, Spain, Cyprus, Lithuania, Luxembourg,
Poland, Portugal, Slovenia
Discrimination
most pronounced union wide for
Roma, Sinti, Travellers
Only 11 member
states collect sufficient data on racist crime to conduct trend analysis
Of these, a
majority experienced an upward trend between 2000 and 2006 (8)
These were: DK, DE, FR, EI, AU, SK, FI, UK)
Only 4 countries
monitor anti-Semitic violence (UK, FR, DE, SW)
Of these FR and
DE noted an up trend between 2000 and 2006 (8)