Lecture 1 (introduction): Migration and the multicultural society
Overview lecture 1
1. Relevance of cultural diversity
2. Migration in the Netherlands
a. Societal trends over the years.
b. Policy developments.
3. Berry’s acculturation model.
4. Introduction into theory and terminology
a. Individualism and collectivism.
b. Developmental niche.
5. Terminology
RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY
● Migration and globalization.
○ Increased diversity in all current societies.
○ Diverse perspectives on human development.
● Diversity in the Netherlands: children and families you will encounter in the field.
○ Necessity of specificity intervention of a culturally-sensitive approach?
● Specific issues of minorities (e.g., multilingualism, shifting between two cultures,
discrimination).
● The study of child welfare, families and education; literature from the U.S., England,
etc. (western samples).
○ Realize whether the information and knowledge is applicable in The
Netherlands.
How many refugees/asylum seekers did the Netherlands have in 2021?
● About 91.000 refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands (about 0.16% of the
world) in 2021.
● Majority comes from Syria, Afghanisation, Algeria, Turkey and Yemen.
● During COVID pandemic initial decrease; more influx expected.
Increasing diversity in society
● 25.3% of the population has a migration background (Western and non-Western, first
and second generation). For children and youngsters <25 years: 28%.
● In the four large cities: the Hague (62%),
Amsterdam (61%), Rotterdam (58%) and
Utrecht (39%).
MIGRATION IN THE NETHERLANDS
Immigration history in the Netherlands
(Entzinger, 2014)
● Second half of the 19th century.
○ Migration from the former Dutch colonies: surinamese-dutch and Antillean-
Dutch.
○ Migration since the 60s as guest workers: Turkish-Dutch and Marrocan-
Dutch.
, ● Since ‘00
○ Labor and economic migrants: Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland, Bulgaria,
Romania) and Asia (India and China).
● Fluctuating waves of migration from conflict areas (Somalia, Ethiopia, Iraq,
Afghanisation, Syria, etc.).
Policy perspective
● Until 1980: immigration as a temporary phenomenon > exclusion?
○ Policy focused on temporary accommodation and welfare measures (like in
other European countries).
○ Focused on preservation of one's own culture.
■ Mother tongue teaching in primary school.
● 1980s: minorities policy
○ Drop idea of temporariness (guest workers > minorities).
○ Multicultural approach > preservation of their own culture.
○ Promote participation in society.
■ Economics difficult times > high unemployment rate.
■ Participation rates in (post) secondary education > drop out.
■ Marginalization: people were not really part of the dutch society.
● 1990s: integration policy
○ Mandatory language and integration classes > poor quality.
○ High unemployment and reliance on social policy provisions.
○ Segregation in society and schools in particular.
■ Pillarized school system > Islamic primary schools.
○ High delinquency rates among certain groups (Moroccan-Dutch youths).
● Towards the beginning of 2000 higher employment rates > success of second
generation.
● 2000s: policy towards assimilation.
○ (Inter)national events: 9/11, killing of Pim Fortuyn.
○ Public debate on integration and failure in this.
○ Changing political (populist) discourse > “Dutch” identity.
○ Culturalization
■ Growing emphasis on Inslam as cause for all problems (killing of van
Gogh).
■ (fear of) Radicalization.
■ Public opinion > growing mistrust between Muslim and non-Muslims.
■ Stereotypes of specific groups (e.g. Polish).
○ Polarization: growing divide in society.
BERRY’S ACCULTURATION MODEL
Acculturation occurs when someone
migrates from one to another society.
On a group level
● Excess 1: when you want to maintain
your heritage culture or not.
● Excess 2: if you want to participate in
the new society.
, ● Multiculturiality: holding on to your own culture, but also adopting the culture of the
new society.
● Melting pot: people don't maintain their own heritage culture and they mainly focus
on the new society.
● Segregation: people hold on to their heritage culture and do not participate in the new
society.
● Exclusion: people don't hold on to their heritage culture, but they also don't interact
with people of the host society.
On a individual level
● Integration: maintaining your
heritage culture and also adopting
● Assimilation: completely adopting
the culture of the host society.
● Segregation: people maintain parts
of the heritage culture, but they do
not interact with the new culture.
● Marginalization: people don't hold
on to their heritage culture, but they
also don't interact with people of the
host society.
Cross-national study in 13 countries (N =
5266 adolescents)
Adaptation
Psychological (personal) Social-cultural (in school)
Acculturation strategy
Integration + +
Ethnic (segregation) +/- -
National (assimilation) - -
Diffuse (unclear) -/- -/-
Success of Turkish youth across 7 European countries
● Idea of segmented assimilation: more than one way to assimilate.
● Role of context.
● Failed integration or failing (educational) systems?
○ Access and participation in early schooling (France vs. Germany).
● Role of social and political discourse.
○ Political discourse > political climate, stereotypes and hierarchies.
○ Social discourse > acceptance towards immigrants (Amsterdam < Madrid).
THEORIES OF CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
, Individuals and collectivism (Crul & Schneider, 2010)
● Based on IBM study in the 60s and 70s > organizational psychology.
● 4 dimensions for cross-cultural communication:
○ Individualism/collectivism.
○ Power distance.
○ Uncertainty-avoidance.
○ Masculinity-femininity.
● Adopted in Psychology and Educational research.
○ But also heavily criticized for postulating an oversimplified dichotomy.
○ Cultures vs. people.
● Nevertheless, it provides a starting point..
Context and family systems (Kagitçibasi, 1996)
● Introducing a family model in which context (culture and living conditions) is
important for understanding family relations, socialization values and patterns.
● Intergenerational patterns of cultural socialization:
○ Independence (left).
○ Interdependence (right).
Individualism or separateness in Western cultures
Overview lecture 1
1. Relevance of cultural diversity
2. Migration in the Netherlands
a. Societal trends over the years.
b. Policy developments.
3. Berry’s acculturation model.
4. Introduction into theory and terminology
a. Individualism and collectivism.
b. Developmental niche.
5. Terminology
RELEVANCE OF CULTURAL DIVERSITY
● Migration and globalization.
○ Increased diversity in all current societies.
○ Diverse perspectives on human development.
● Diversity in the Netherlands: children and families you will encounter in the field.
○ Necessity of specificity intervention of a culturally-sensitive approach?
● Specific issues of minorities (e.g., multilingualism, shifting between two cultures,
discrimination).
● The study of child welfare, families and education; literature from the U.S., England,
etc. (western samples).
○ Realize whether the information and knowledge is applicable in The
Netherlands.
How many refugees/asylum seekers did the Netherlands have in 2021?
● About 91.000 refugees and asylum seekers in the Netherlands (about 0.16% of the
world) in 2021.
● Majority comes from Syria, Afghanisation, Algeria, Turkey and Yemen.
● During COVID pandemic initial decrease; more influx expected.
Increasing diversity in society
● 25.3% of the population has a migration background (Western and non-Western, first
and second generation). For children and youngsters <25 years: 28%.
● In the four large cities: the Hague (62%),
Amsterdam (61%), Rotterdam (58%) and
Utrecht (39%).
MIGRATION IN THE NETHERLANDS
Immigration history in the Netherlands
(Entzinger, 2014)
● Second half of the 19th century.
○ Migration from the former Dutch colonies: surinamese-dutch and Antillean-
Dutch.
○ Migration since the 60s as guest workers: Turkish-Dutch and Marrocan-
Dutch.
, ● Since ‘00
○ Labor and economic migrants: Eastern Europe (e.g., Poland, Bulgaria,
Romania) and Asia (India and China).
● Fluctuating waves of migration from conflict areas (Somalia, Ethiopia, Iraq,
Afghanisation, Syria, etc.).
Policy perspective
● Until 1980: immigration as a temporary phenomenon > exclusion?
○ Policy focused on temporary accommodation and welfare measures (like in
other European countries).
○ Focused on preservation of one's own culture.
■ Mother tongue teaching in primary school.
● 1980s: minorities policy
○ Drop idea of temporariness (guest workers > minorities).
○ Multicultural approach > preservation of their own culture.
○ Promote participation in society.
■ Economics difficult times > high unemployment rate.
■ Participation rates in (post) secondary education > drop out.
■ Marginalization: people were not really part of the dutch society.
● 1990s: integration policy
○ Mandatory language and integration classes > poor quality.
○ High unemployment and reliance on social policy provisions.
○ Segregation in society and schools in particular.
■ Pillarized school system > Islamic primary schools.
○ High delinquency rates among certain groups (Moroccan-Dutch youths).
● Towards the beginning of 2000 higher employment rates > success of second
generation.
● 2000s: policy towards assimilation.
○ (Inter)national events: 9/11, killing of Pim Fortuyn.
○ Public debate on integration and failure in this.
○ Changing political (populist) discourse > “Dutch” identity.
○ Culturalization
■ Growing emphasis on Inslam as cause for all problems (killing of van
Gogh).
■ (fear of) Radicalization.
■ Public opinion > growing mistrust between Muslim and non-Muslims.
■ Stereotypes of specific groups (e.g. Polish).
○ Polarization: growing divide in society.
BERRY’S ACCULTURATION MODEL
Acculturation occurs when someone
migrates from one to another society.
On a group level
● Excess 1: when you want to maintain
your heritage culture or not.
● Excess 2: if you want to participate in
the new society.
, ● Multiculturiality: holding on to your own culture, but also adopting the culture of the
new society.
● Melting pot: people don't maintain their own heritage culture and they mainly focus
on the new society.
● Segregation: people hold on to their heritage culture and do not participate in the new
society.
● Exclusion: people don't hold on to their heritage culture, but they also don't interact
with people of the host society.
On a individual level
● Integration: maintaining your
heritage culture and also adopting
● Assimilation: completely adopting
the culture of the host society.
● Segregation: people maintain parts
of the heritage culture, but they do
not interact with the new culture.
● Marginalization: people don't hold
on to their heritage culture, but they
also don't interact with people of the
host society.
Cross-national study in 13 countries (N =
5266 adolescents)
Adaptation
Psychological (personal) Social-cultural (in school)
Acculturation strategy
Integration + +
Ethnic (segregation) +/- -
National (assimilation) - -
Diffuse (unclear) -/- -/-
Success of Turkish youth across 7 European countries
● Idea of segmented assimilation: more than one way to assimilate.
● Role of context.
● Failed integration or failing (educational) systems?
○ Access and participation in early schooling (France vs. Germany).
● Role of social and political discourse.
○ Political discourse > political climate, stereotypes and hierarchies.
○ Social discourse > acceptance towards immigrants (Amsterdam < Madrid).
THEORIES OF CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
, Individuals and collectivism (Crul & Schneider, 2010)
● Based on IBM study in the 60s and 70s > organizational psychology.
● 4 dimensions for cross-cultural communication:
○ Individualism/collectivism.
○ Power distance.
○ Uncertainty-avoidance.
○ Masculinity-femininity.
● Adopted in Psychology and Educational research.
○ But also heavily criticized for postulating an oversimplified dichotomy.
○ Cultures vs. people.
● Nevertheless, it provides a starting point..
Context and family systems (Kagitçibasi, 1996)
● Introducing a family model in which context (culture and living conditions) is
important for understanding family relations, socialization values and patterns.
● Intergenerational patterns of cultural socialization:
○ Independence (left).
○ Interdependence (right).
Individualism or separateness in Western cultures
