Izvorni znanstveni rad
Primljeno: 12. 12. 2006.
Prihvaceno: 16. 05. 2007.
RINUS PENNINX
Institute for Migration and Ethnic Studies (IMES), University ofAmsterdam
m.j. a.penninx@uva. nl
Integration Processes of Migrants: Research Findings
and Policy Challenges
SUMMARY
This contribution discusses the integration processes of immigrants and minorities with a re-
cent immigrant background, and the policies related to the process of settlement of these newcomers
in European societies at all relevant levels: from the local level of municipalities and cities, to the na-
tional level of states, and the international level of the European Union. Within this general approach,
however, a strong emphasis is put on the local level, since that is the level where such policies have to
be implemented and are primarily felt, both by the immigrants themselves and by those parts of so-
ciety that are most affected by immigration. To describe the current state of integration research and
policies, this paper will explore in the first section the nature of integration processes, their con-
ceptualisation and lessons from empirical studies. The reason for devoting some space to these topics
is the assertion that any integration policy should be based on a thorough, scientifically-based know-
ledge of the processes of integration and exclusion: if a policy wants to steer such a process, it should
have a clear idea of what instruments it can use possibly to intervene, in which part of the process,
and at what particular moment. Such knowledge is a solid starting point for policy-making, but it is
not enough. Processes of policy-making and implementation follow their own set course, which do
not necessarily run parallel to the process of integration. That is why, in the following section, the au-
thor attempts to explain some of these processes. At the end of this paper he returns to the core ques-
tions of immigration and integration policies on the one hand, and the relationship between local, na-
tional and international integration policies on the other.
KEY WORDS: immigration, integration, integration policy
1. Introduction
Integration of immigrants is a hotly debated topic nowadays, particularly in north-
west European countries and cities. The background of this contentious debate is histo-
rically different in various countries (Penninx, Berger and Kraal, 2006). In some coun-
tries the debate started as a reaction to the perceived failure of integration policies: in
The Netherlands, for example, a tradition of specific integration policies under the hea-
* This contribution was originally written as a background paper for the European Population Conference
2005 Demographic Challenges for Social Cohesion, Strasbourg, 7-8 April 2005. It has been revised for
this publication, thankfully using comments from anonymous referees.
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