politicisation of migration

• states now have policies about migration

  -seek to control immigration

  -absorb migrants into society

  -deal with increased ethnic & cultural diversity

  -migration policies become linked to national security & anti-terrorism policies
• assimilationism 


  -first state policy approach to immigration

  -aimed to encourage immigrants to adopt language, values & customs of host culture

  -make them 'like us'
• assimilationism problems


  -face problem that international immigrants with hybrid identities may not be willing to abandon culture

  -don't see themselves as belonging to just one nation-state
• multiculturalism


  -accepts that migrants may wish to retain separate cultural identity

  -this acceptance may be limited to more superficial aspects of cultural diversity
• multiculturalism > Eriksen


  shallow diversity: such as regarding chicken tikka masala as Britain's national dish > acceptable to state

  deep diversity: such as arranged marriages or the veiling of women > not acceptable to state
• criticisms of multicultural education policies

  -celebrate shallow diversity > superficial cultural differences

  -while failing to address deeper problems facing children from migrant backgrounds > racism
• impact of 9/11


  -from 1960s there was move towards multiculturalism

  -since 9/11 many politicians demanding migrants assimilate culturally
• Castles - assimilation 


  -argue assimilationist policies counter-productive as mark out minority groups as culturally backwards or 'other'

  -lead to minorities responding by emphasising difference

  -increases hosts' suspicions of them as 'enemy within'

  -may promote anti-terrorism policies targeted at them

  -breeds further marginalisation > defeating goal of assimilation
• divided working class - assimilation


  -assimilationist ideas may also encourage workers to blame migrants for social problems

  -resulting in racial scapegoating
• Castles & Kosack - divided working class

  -benefits capitalism by creating racially divided working class

  -preventing united action in defence of their interests