The end of national models? Integration courses and citizenship trajectories in Europe

TLDR

European states are increasingly adopting citizenship trajectories and integration tests, reflecting a shift toward assimilation and a convergence that challenges the notion of distinct national models for immigrant integration. The authors argue that sufficient distinctiveness remains among immigrant integration policies to justify continued use of a national-model analytical framework. They find that differences between policies persist, supporting the viability of distinguishing national models.

Abstract

Several European countries have recently introduced or are planning to introduce citizenship trajectories (voluntary or obligatory inclusion programs for recent immigrants) or citizen integration tests (tests one should pass to be able and acquire permanent residence or state citizenship). Authors like Joppke claim this is an articulation of a more general shift towards the logic of assimilation (and away from a multicultural agenda) in integration policy paradigms of European States. Integration policies would even be converging in such a fashion that it would no longer make sense to think in terms of national models for immigrant integration. One cannot deny the empirical fact of diffusion of civic integration policies throughout Europe. This paper claims there is, however, still sufficient distinctiveness between immigrant integration policies in order to continue and use an analytical framework which distinguishes national models.