1. 2. 2010
Jana Slavíková
Czech integration policy in view of theory
However, accessibility of citizenship for immigrants is crucial also for another reason, and that is the welfare, because its provision is bound to national citizenship. (LukšičHacin, 2007) Vah and Lukšič-Hacin (2008: 10) point out that “[i]n (European) nation state contexts ... citizenship is commonly linked to nationality and culture. As those concepts are frequently used interchangeably, the fact that citizenship is a legal political category that introduces a set of rights and obligations between an individual and a state is often overlooked.” They argue that the welfare system has been associated with nationality to foster a sense of common national identity, which brings about social solidarity. Otherwise, middle classes would not be so willing to contribute to the worseoff groups. “[I]mmigrants with different citizenship and different ethnic/cultural backgrounds3 [potentially and allegedly] pose a threat to the solidarity needed for redistribution.” They conclude (Vah, Lukšič-Hacin, 2008: 19) that “[t]he real question here is whether people of one ethnic group can develop feelings of solidarity towards members of another ethnic group.” That brings us back to the sense of belonging and the concept of nation state citizenship. Castles, Miller (2003: 44-5) outline five ideal types of citizenship4: 1. The imperial model – belonging to the nation is defined in terms of being a subject of the same power or ruler. (The UK formally until 1981.) 2. The folk or ethnic model – belonging to the nation defined in terms of ethnicity (common descent, language and culture). (Germany close until 2000.) 3. The republican model – belonging to the nation as a political community, but also adoption of the national culture. (France)
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Vah and Lukšič-Hacin (2008: 19) observe that: “When immigrants would simply be perceived as a labour force without “ethno-cultural baggage” and with an inherent ability to integrate into a majority society, the broader public would no doubt disregard arguments about the severity of the immigration threat shaking the well-established roots of the welfare system. The real problem seems not to be the quantity of immigrants but their ethnic origin and cultural/religious beliefs that need to be recognised in contemporary European democracies with policies of multiculturalism.” 4 Other existing concepts are “quasi-citizenship”, as a special status for immigrants who have been legally resident in a country for many years, and “denizenship”, as a legal and permanent status of foreign citizens. (Castles, Miller, 2003: 45)
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