National Models of Integration in Europe: A Comparative and Critical Analysis

The concept of models of immigrant integration (e.g., French assimilation, Dutch and British multiculturalism) has had a vibrant career in comparative research on Western Europe, accounting for and explaining many national differences. This concept, however, is problematic because it suffers from normative and theoretical misconceptions. Through a comparison of France, Britain, and the Netherlands, this article discusses key problems affecting the use of national integration models in the literature and proposes ways to overcome them. It argues that models should not be considered as homogeneous and stable cultural entities—and even less as independent variables—but as complex struc-tures of reference on the basis of which a multiplicity of conceptions of identity, equality, and inclusion are developed by a wide range of social agents in each national context. Keywords national models, citizenship, immigrants, integration, comparative sociology The notion of national models of integration is a very popular one in the comparative social science literature on Europe. Indeed, it seems to offer considerable advantages for comparative research on the incorporation of immigrants and their offspring into Western European countries. For one, it helps to identify striking differences among countries that have implemented different policies and adopted contradictory public conceptions of citizenship. Within this perspective, republican and assimilationist France appears to be a powerful illustration of what multiculturalism is not, whereas in countries such as Britain and the Netherlands multiculturalism remains something undoubtedly Article by guest on September 12, 2016abs.sagepub.comDownloaded fro