Illusions in the integration debate

One of the most discussed issues in the integration debate is the lack of a sense of belonging to the “native” community among immigrants. It is now fashionable to claim that this is the main cause for the growing numbers of Islamic extremists and terrorists in Western countries (a view I strongly oppose and which I have argued against in many articles written in Persian and German). The debates are often very emotional, lacking rational arguments and a thorough analysis of the facts. The opposing fronts use the same methods to influence their audiences. Whereas one front blames the “native” society for excluding immigrants, the other blames the immigrants themselves for not being willing to integrate. 

The bitter truth is that in many cases “integration” and “belonging” are impossible. One can only feel belonging to a group if (s)he and the group speak the same language (not verbally, but mentally!), laugh at the same jokes, have a similar world view, lifestyle, drinking habits, social behaviour and norms, etc. This is the case also for “natives”. That’s why the “natives” too have to search for like-minded people to prevent becoming socially isolated. And also among the “natives” there are people who feel different, and find it difficult to find a group they feel they belong to. No one can really be blamed for this condition. Just as it is ridiculous of a society to expect that all its members become “one”, it is ridiculous of its individual members to expect that the whole society becomes like them only because they want to escape social isolation. 

Both at individual and societal level there have been only two ways for this problem. The individual may be able to integrate himself/herself and become like the majority, otherwise (s)he has to stay isolated until (s)he finds some like-minded people (a search process which may often last lifelong without much success and with a lot of pain). At societal level, the minority group may be able to assimilate, otherwise it has to live its own life separated from the “native” society. The important thing here is that minority groups too have to follow the law and certain rules of the “native” society. 

As a person with migration background I know how painful it is to think that you don’t belong to any society or community, or as some would say, to feel “rootless”. Though I left my origin country when I was a child (living since then in Germany and the UK), and though I share Western cultural values, I still cannot think of myself as a European. But I find it too simplistic and unjust to blame either the European societies or myself (and my family) for this lack of a sense of belonging. I know that many people with migration background feel the same as me, as if they don’t belong properly to any culture or community. This is a fact which should not be glossed over or black painted. The main question here is not how to force all people in a society to become “one”, but how we all can peacefully live together, even when more or less separated from each other. 

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