The course goals are for students to be able to:
- Explain the key concepts and identify the current scientific problems and policy issues related to integration and cultural diversity.
- Be able to apply the most important (psychological and sociological) theories on outcomes of integration processes and the impact of cultural diversity on neighbourhoods, schools and organizations.
- Acquire knowledge of policy approaches of national and local governments, schools and organizations to issues related to cultural diversity and integration.
- Critically evaluate the congruence between policy aims and measures on these issues on the one hand, and the available knowledge from theoretical and empirical research on the other.
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In this course, we study the integration of non-Western immigrants in Western societies. The course focuses on the question how multicultural societies deal with issues related to cultural diversity, specifically the possible consequences of cultural diversity within schools, neighbourhoods and organizations.
We first review theory and research on immigrant integration in different domains. Immigrants face all kinds of challenges, limitations and opportunities, and an important question is in what forms immigrants are willing and able to adapt to the host society, and vice versa. We investigate the different acculturation strategies of groups and individuals, and how individual and group characteristics of immigrants and minorities, on the one hand, and societal factors and majority attitudes, on the other, can explain outcomes of integration, within diverse contexts such as education and the labour market, social interaction and political participation.
We then focus on the question how Western societies attempt to deal with cultural diversity and the possible consequences of cultural diversity within schools, neighbourhoods and organizations. We first review the different policy approaches to diversity at the national level. We then turn to the question of the consequences of cultural diversity within schools, neighbourhoods and organizations, in terms of the results and innovativeness of schools and organizations, and in terms of the intergroup relations, and feelings of belonging and satisfaction among groups and individuals within schools, organizations and neighbourhoods. The students are challenged to reflect on how government, politicians, corporations, organizations, schools and individuals can approach issues related to cultural diversity and the possible consequences of local, institutional and national policies.
Academic skills
• Collecting and analysing scientific literature
• Analysis of social problems
• Policy analysis
• Formulating recommendations for policy and research
• Academic writing
• Presenting
• Providing peer feedback
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