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Manifesto Strichting Civic - Coggle Diagram
Manifesto Strichting Civic
Key starting points
Policy about migration in the Netherlands
exclude, mistrust, discriminate and forces
people to "earn" their place in the Netherlands.
Every word counts, every word is a choice.
Welcoming policy
instead of integration policy
Ten statements for a
welcoming policy
Statement 1
The Civic Foundation favors the term "welcoming policy" instead of "integration policy".
After a quarter of a century of political changes, the results of Dutch integration process are still disappointing and damaging.
Integration policy is based on
distrust
.
Integration policy
stigmatizes
newcomers as people who have to "integrate".
Integrar is based on
uniform
performance obligations.
Proposal
The welcoming policy deals with the following question: "What should be organized publicly so that every newcomer can get off to a good start in the Netherlands?
Statement 2
Welcoming policy invest in people as if they stay
Proposal
The best and most sustainable policy choice is to support newcomers unconditionally in making a good start (not depending in their legal status).
Why?
Policies that invest in newcomers as if they stay have no losers.
Individual gains
What the newcomer lived in the Netherlands forms a worthy part within his or her broader life path.
Collective gains
The newcomer is fully and proactively involved in all relevant domains of social life (e.g. school, work, neighbourhoods).
The newcomer has not been placed in a waiting period, practically and mentally.
Declaration 3
The welcoming policy is about a good start for people who settler in the Netherlands
Proposal?
The aim of the welcoming policy is to better organize the staying of newcomers, nothing more, nothing less. It removes as many barriers as possible, instead of erecting them.
It applies to all newcomers right after their arrival in the Netherlands.
It doesn't measure newcomers.
To determine whether they are enough 'integrated'.
To determine whether they deserve residence rights and citizenship.
It is part of a broader public policy scheme of liberal-democratic values.
Supports equal opportunities for all
Supports equal citizenship for all
Why?
The current integration policy is focused on newcomers meeting requirements. It asks them for a personal transformation to 'belong'.
It invests money and asks civil servants, teachers and newcomers to spend time and efford to meet requirements.
It threatens newcomers with fines and conditions their residence status.
Statement 4
The core of the welcoming policy is to flourish, not to discipline
Why?:
The current integration policy aims to discipline newcomers.
It tests whether the newcomers have become loyal, well-adjusted citizens.
The integration policy has become more intensive, costly, difficult and punitive (it provides for nine sanctions).
It is concerned that "they" do not become a burden to "us".
Proposal
The welcoming policy aims to support newcomers in their transition to a new period of their lifes.
It trusts in people, and treats them with dignity and respect for who they are.
It does not assume that newcomers have to overcome shortcomings.
It aims to enable newcomers to apply their skills and talents.
It offers newcomers opportunities to explore new capabilities and ambitions.
Statement 5
The welcoming policy considers personal needs, capabilities, and ambitions, of everyone, as a starting point.
Why?
The integration policy demands the same from almost all newcomers.
Even after the latest changes, it is still trying to standardize the requirements for newcomers.
Sometimes, those requirements are insultingly easy for some.
Sometimes, those requirements cause a lot of troubles and stress.
Proposal
The welcoming policy recognizes that newcomers are a diverse group. It emphasizes the specific needs, abilities, ambitions and starting situations of everyone.
It doesn't ask for mandatory requirements (e.g., Dutch language courses).
It offers all newcomers the opportunity to chart their own path. It doesn't undermine a good start.
It provides support when needed.
Statement 6
Welcoming policy doesn't work with 'earned policy'.
Why?
The integration policy assumes that citizenship has to be earned.
It contributes to creating social hierarchies among Dutch citizens. Some are more Dutch than others.
It discriminates against Dutch citizens of immigrant origin.
They must often demonstrate that they are appropriate, desirable, and useful to society.
Proposal
Welcoming policy doesn't establish conditions for obtaining permanent residence or citizenship.
It recognizes that fundamental democratic rights are exercised on the basis of dignity and presence in society. They are not a privilege for the best of us.
It recognizes the Netherlands is a democracy characterized by diversity.
That diversity ranges from socioeconomic positions, political orientations, religious opinions, ethnic origins, education, family life, professional careers, among others.
It accepts it is impossible to make a list of conditions to be consider an 'integrated migrant'. The Dutchman doesn't exist.
Statement 7
Welcoming policy is not based on hospitality, but on democratic equality.
Why?
The arrivals of newcomers should not be understood at the
institutional level
as welcoming people into 'our home'.
Hospitality is not the basis for relations between citizens in a democratic country.
At the institutional level, hospitality creates unequal relationships between hosts and guests.
Guests are temporary, have to settle in, be grateful and don't have an equal say in the 'house rules'.
Hosts assume a paternalistic role over guests.
Proposal
Welcoming policy promotes democratic equality
It applies to all newcomers and stems from what we owe each other from a democratic perspective.
It is not a form of generosity or charity.
Recognize that newcomers who settle become part of the Dutch political and social community.
Thus, facilitates a good start for them.
It offers equal citizenship and control for all.
Statement 8
The current perspective on 'integration' and 'integration policy' is discriminatory
Why?
The current integration policy is based on ideas of "the others", intrinsically and inherently different from "us".
It designates groups of migrants who are said to be distant in terms of norms, values, culture and way of life.
Some, those perceived as far in "cultural distance", have to go through a process of integration.
Others are exempt from civic integration.
It creates hierarchies that feed ethnic stereotypes, racism, discrimination and reproduce inequality and exclusion. These hierarchies are based on an extremely homogeneous idea of "us".
This mindset is rooted in the history of the Netherlands, as well as other european countries.
Proposal
Welcoming policy applies equally to all newcomers, without categorizing them or basing it on cultural assumptions.
Statement 10
Society is never finished
Why?
Many discourses on integration consider multicultural society a failure.
Migration is then seen as the threat to the perfect society.
Integration and integration policies are seen as a way to protect society against these disruptive externalities.
Proposal
Understand that society is never finished and that everyone belongs to it.
All the characteristics and challenges that newcomers can present are also found among Dutch citizens.
Statement 9
The ambition is that everyone, newcomer or not, is equipped for a life in The Netherlands
Why?
The integration process treats newcomers as a special group in Dutch society that has to complete an integration process.
It is strictly monitored and sanctioned.
It addresses and labels as integration problems the incorporation into the labor market or dealing with the tax authorities.
Proposal
Everyone experiences times of transition. The role of government is to introduce policies that ensure that people have more control over these moments.
Manifesto objective
The purpose of this manifesto is to set out the fundamentals of the welcoming policy and explain how it differs from integration policy.