The ‘Others’ in Europe and Beyond
International Conference, Université Libre de Bruxelles
28-29 April 2011
http://is.ulb.ac.be/uploads/pdf/brochure.pdf
Impressions
Veristat attended the international conference “The “Others” in Europe and Beyond” which took place at the Free University of Brussels during 28-19 of April 2011. We had the chance to listen to world-leader academics and policy analysts tackling the topic of migration from a theoretical point of view.
Why did Veristat attend this conference?
Our reason to attend this international conference was twofold. We wanted to find out more about ways we could improve migration policies in. We also wanted to see how migration is interpreted at a sociological and psychological level. In a nutshell, we were interested in the theory behind the practice of migration.
Description and Objectives of the Conference
In Europe, social and political debates related to immigration are seen in terms of belonging and identity. The ‘outsider’ or the foreigner is no longer defined only by their place on the labour market. The immigrant is seen in terms of challenges they can bring to the host country in terms of social citizenship. In that respect, “otherness” does not refer to non-EU membership anymore, but to ethno-cultural minority groups (who may or may not have EU citizenship).
The conference aimed to address the construction of identity at the basis of new forms of inclusion and exclusion in the EU.
Main areas covered:
- Intercultural relations
- Racial and ethnic prejudice in the US
- African Diaspora in Belgium
- Canadian multiculturalism in question
- Civic integration courses in the Netherlands
Below an overview of the first talk on the session, on “Intercultural relations”
Intercultural relations in plural societies: a comparative perspective (John Berry, Queen’s University – Kingston)
- Intercultural psychology is based on acculturation (changing lives) and intercultural relations (the contact with foreigners).
- Cross-cultural psychology is arguing that there are psychological differences between groups with different ethnic backgrounds
- Intercultural strategies put forward two strategies: maintaining heritage culture and identity to sustain cultural communities and participation with other groups in the daily life of the larger society
Moreover, Prof. John Berry looked at three notions which he defines as follows:
- Integration = cultural maintenance and involvement as a member of the host society, not of the original society
- Melting pot = immigrants are allowed to maintain their own culture, but do not mix with other cultures or the majority
- Multiculturalism = positive orientation towards cultural diversity, equity and engagement. It is seen to have failed in some societies because it led to segregation.
Conclusion
The conference provided us with an insight into the theory behind the policy of immigration, especially sociology and psychology. This can be crucial when dealing with immigrants, since their culture should be taken into account in order to understand them better. However, the conference failed to provide us with recommendations concerning which current migration and integration policies can be improved in.
