I will argue that the growing scope
of multiculturalism and immigration has an adverse effect on Italy’s sovereignty.
The native population is directly affected, facing: refusal of immigrants to
integrate, welfare programs being over accommodating to migrant workers and
their families, and rampant crime present in migrant communities. On the other
hand, lack of a multiculturalism policy is leading to stratification of ethnic
groups in the community. The stratification of ethnic groups leads to prejudice
and discrimination. Italy is facing social unrest due to progressive transformation
into a 'color-coded society', with the Italy's native population and ethnic
minorities choosing to live apart. Italy has come under scrutiny by the EU for
its draconian multiculturalism and immigration policies. European Union’s international
agreements and courts have weakened the ability of Italy to control its
national borders, one of the most important aspects of a countries sovereignty.
There is a new threat of 'comfort-zone segregation', separation
into ethnic ghettos which could lead to division and hostility between native
Italians and ethnic communities. I argue that ethnic segregation and hostility
will lead to conflict within Italy. The in-fighting between Italian nationals
and ethnic groups will threaten Italy's sovereignty, in a way of internal
political instability and EU’s intervention in Italy’s border control. This
will create a challenge of political and social conflict on issue of
immigration facing Italy in a context of European Union membership. I will
argue that Italy's strive for a multicultural society has 'completely failed',
that the separation into a color-coded society threatens sovereignty internally
as well as internationally.
I will argue that the growing scope of multiculturalism and
immigration has an adverse effect on Italy’s sovereignty.
·
History of Immigrant Settlement in Europe, the
new wave 1960 to 1990.
o
Transformation from Worker migration to Family
migration.
·
Nation-State and International control of
immigration. (brief)
·
The nature of citizenship (Citizen of one
country, Resident in another)
o
Death of Multiculturalism. (We live in your
country but abide by our laws.)
·
The native population is directly affected,
facing: refusal of immigrants to integrate, welfare programs being over
accommodating to migrant workers and their families, and rampant crime present
in migrant communities.
o
Radical Islam
o
Welfare
o
Crime
§
However, unrest brought on not solely by Immigrant
refusal to integrate.
·
Counterargument:
(On the other hand, lack of a multiculturalism
policy is leading to stratification of ethnic groups in the community. The
stratification of ethnic groups leads to prejudice and discrimination.
o
Prejudice
o
Discrimination )
·
Reason for failure of multiculturalism.
Multiculturalism wrongly defined.
·
The in-fighting between Italian nationals and
ethnic groups will threaten Italy's sovereignty, in a way of internal political
instability and EU’s intervention in Italy’s border control.
·
Economic and political intervention of EU in
Italy’s immigration policy
o
European Union’s international agreements and
courts have weakened the ability of Italy to control its national borders, one
of the most important aspects of a countries sovereignty.
·
Movement towards common immigration policy.
·
National upheaval in Italy threatening
sovereignty.
·
Conclusion
Note: If the purpose of your culture is to celebrate multi-culture,
then what you are saying is: that our bedrock belief is that we believe in
everything, which is the same thing as saying we believe in nothing. Our core value is that we have no core value.
It is my belief that multiculturalism is not “the preservation of different
cultures or cultural identities within a unified society, as a state or nation”.
(dictionary.com) The above definition stops you from learning anything about
different cultures under a pretense of a requirement to be culturally equal and
blindly accepting of everything that comes with the foreign culture.
Multiculturalism does not teach us anything about other cultures, it just gives
us a sense of comfort when these cultures are around. I perceive
multiculturalism in a completely different way. It is my belief that
multiculturalism is being educated about many different cultures; the ability
to know obscure information about the most remote peoples, customs and
languages of the most remote tribes, as well as having the ability to correctly
interact with these cultures while being aware of their customs and beliefs. We
cannot be completely equal in our beliefs and ideas with another culture, we
are all different. Ethnic tensions will continue to be the biggest problem
faced by every country in the world. Are we ever going to have a “world citizen
- a person who wishes not to be tied to any one nation? These people see
humanity as one and do not like the idea of nationalism, patriotism, racism, or
any other segregating ideology. A world citizen sees themself first as a member
of mankind.” (UrbanDictionary.com). To me this idea has a different meaning.
The words “world citizen” to me represents an individual of a single national
background that he is proud off, who respects and appreciates other cultures
and people. I disagree with the Urban Dictionary definition of ‘world citizen’
and believe that integration of people into one global community is a long way
away. In many countries across Europe the mixture of a foreign culture into
society is frowned upon. The people in Europe are proud of their unique
language, traditions, and history. It is history that forced the integration of
two foreign cultures. The post-WWII Europe saw a shortage in labor force and
was forced to open its borders to visiting workers from Turkey and other Muslim
countries. The workers stayed and later moved their families to live with them.
Over time the migrant workers formed their own communities. In forming separate
communities the migrants further distanced themselves from the native
population. (I am sure this worked both ways, and the migrant population was
discriminated against.) People are unwilling to integrate because they fear
losing a part of their culture in the process. If we are having difficulty
integrating just two different cultures, or even two different ethnic groups
within a similar culture, how can we hope to have a global culture?
The current economic crisis has
facilitated return of immigrant conflict that is traveling across Europe. On
the whole, many European countries have been receiving immigrants for a long
time. A number of European giants (like Germany, and France) had opened their
doors to immigration decades ago. However, other European countries such as
Italy had only recently switched from being exporters of immigrants to
importers of foreign migrant laborers. In the midst of the dept crisis,
destabilization of the presidential cabinet, and pressure from the E.U., Italy
will find it difficult to adjust to new immigration trends.
Work Cited,
1. Salvatore Aloïse, “Italy moves
towards easing nationality obstacles for immigrants,” Guardian Weekly,
2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/21/italy-nationality-eased-immigrant-children
2. Andrea Vogt, “Italy violated human
rights,” The Guardian, 2012. http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/23/italy-human-rights-migrants-libya
3. ISAS, Md. Mizanur Rahman, Mohammad
Alamgir Kabir, “Moving to Europe: Bangladeshi Migration to Italy,” Institute of
South Asian Studies (ISAS), Singapore, Singapore. 2012.
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/isn/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=137192
4. Marianna Bertagnolli/Associated
Press, “Italy.” New York Times, 2012.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/italy/index.html
5. Nathan Gardels, “Mario Monti is
working through Italy's debt crisis.” The Christian Science Monitor, 2012. http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Global-Viewpoint/2012/0202/Mario-Monti-is-working-through-Italy-s-debt-crisis.-Is-the-US-watching
6. Annamaria Racota, “Italy’s
Immigration Policy Faces New Criticism.” The Human Rights Brief, 2009. http://hrbrief.org/2009/10/italy%E2%80%99s-immigration-policy-faces-new-criticism/
7. “multiculturalism.” Dictionary.com.
Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/multiculturalism (accessed: November 29,
2013).
8. Allport,
Gordon. 1935. "Attitudes,” A Handbook of Social Psychology, Clark
University Press.
9. “Life-style”
Def. 1. Merriam Webster Online, Merriam Webster, n.d. Web Nov, 15 2013.
10. Chávez, A. F., Guido-DiBrito, F., and
Mallory, S. “Learning to Value the ‘Other’: A Model of Diversity Development.”
Paper presented at the National Association of Personnel Administrators
Conference, Atlanta, Mar. 1996. (Found on: http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic551690.files/Chavez%20and%20Guido%20Debrito.pdf
)
11. Yinger, J.
M. “Ethnicity in Complex Societies.” In L. A. Coser and O. N. Larsen (eds.),
The Uses of Controversy in
Sociology. New York: Free Press, 1976 (Found on:
http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.topic551690.files/Chavez%20and%20Guido%20Debrito.pdf
)
12. SAGE, Chapter 8: Race and Ethnic Group
Stratification – SAGE (Found on: http://www.sagepub.com/upm-data/31527_8.pdf
13. Uraban
Dictionary, “world Citizen” Found on: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=World%20Citizen
