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Abstract:
From facing issues related to cultural conflict and integration of immigrants and minorities to religious fundamentalism, uncertainties and economic slowdown Europe is confronting challenges like never before in past fifty years. Among these, the integration of the 'others', particularly the immigrants, is a major challenge. The process of integration and differentiation of 'others' is happening in social, cultural, economic, and political sphere leading to conflict and friction among people. With multiculturalism being pronounced as failure by many European countries, policy of inter-culture is seen as an alternative. This paper attempts to identify who constitute 'others' in Europe. Further it explores the nature and reasons for conflict and tension between the natives and the 'others'. The paper also discusses issues pertaining to social integration, particularly discussing and multiculturalism and inter-culture as policy options for social integration of the 'others' in Europe.
Key Words: Cultural conflict, 'Other(s)', Multiculturalism, Assimilation, Inter-culture, Social Integration
JEL Classification : D74, F02
1. Introduction
Europe has had experience and a long history of migration, both immigration and emigration. Migration to contemporary Europe is a part of phenomenon of international migration inherent in the process of globalization. During the last couple of decades migration, and particularly immigration (and the immigrant population) has become an increasingly significant issue in European societies. The process of migration and presence of immigrants is shaping much of the nature and content of social, economic and political dynamics in contemporary Europe. In rapidly altering milieu, from facing issues related to integration of immigrants and minorities to religious fundamentalism, uncertainties and economic slowdown Europe is confronting challenges like never before in past fifty years. Among these, the integration of the 'others', the immigrants, is a major challenge. The process of integration and differentiation of immigrant communities is happening simultaneously in social, cultural, economic and political sphere. A number of policies have been adopted to address the issue. This paper is divided into four sections. The first section attempts to define who the 'others' in Europe are and why there is a cultural conflict. The second section deals with policy options for promoting social integration and their relative strengths. The third section deals with issues and challenges in social integration of 'others', and the last section analyses inter-culture...