tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post8514930616905211802..comments2023-09-23T11:16:00.352+02:00Comments on The Franco-American Flophouse has moved: The Impulse to ConquerVictoria FERAUGEhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16319699673885400472noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-85301023442828428892017-05-25T23:26:34.710+02:002017-05-25T23:26:34.710+02:00Andrew, What a wonderful, clear statement on the d...Andrew, What a wonderful, clear statement on the difference between assimilation and integration. And from 1959 no less. And I appreciate the argument that a migrants should be valued not denigrated for their experiences, culture, language. I agree with Milton Giordon that assimilation happens in the end but over generations. The dominant culture will win in the end.:-)<br /><br />"The ultimate responsibility for integration rests with the Canadian people for, without their acceptance of the newcomers into community life, there can be no integration." Yes. And that point seems to be lost in many immigrant integration debates. The assumption is that migrants are not integrated because they are not trying. or that they have some nefarious purpose in mind. I am thinking, of course, about the debates in France over migrants from North Africa and their citizen children. <br /><br />Nezumi-san, Yes, that's an excellent point. Milos Debnar calls this the "cultural services industry" and it is definitely a source of employment for migrants from certain countries. It can be very precarious and not just because a migrants loses his or her "authenticity" over time but because 1. it rests on positive sterotypes which may change and 2. it's limiting in the sense that native citizens perceive certain occupations occupied by foreigners to be a case of "round peg, round hole" and they then herd migrants into those occupations where they are expected to stay. But that creates a dilemma - how can the migrant learn the language and culture if he/she spends the entire working day speaking his native language and acting [insert nationality here]? <br /><br /> Nancy, Yep, I have had that "can't win" feeling. I have on occasion felt that my host country natives would prefer that I stumble along in French because it would confirm the sterotype of Americans who can't learn other languages. <br /><br />And thank you for your kind comment. I appreciate it so much. It is heartening to know that you enjoy reading my work as much as I enjoy writing and researching it.Victoria FERAUGEhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16319699673885400472noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-31785286238763197822017-05-25T21:29:48.096+02:002017-05-25T21:29:48.096+02:00Your point about being a "threat" to the...Your point about being a "threat" to the host country if over-integrated reminds me once when I was buying another delicious morning pastry in a Bakery in Paris, the saleswoman asked me if I was from Switzerland or Germany and I said the US. Then she said, "How is it that you speak French so well." <br /><br />I had been trying to learn the accent and the language for years and took much pride in making progress. Her comment made me feel like either way, I couldn't win in their eyes. You must show that you are not rejecting their culture but not too much. <br /><br />You are keenly perceptive about this nuance and I appreciate your writing enormously. Thank you. <br /><br />NancyAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07854303388675984627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-50995470085238496272017-05-25T15:22:26.326+02:002017-05-25T15:22:26.326+02:00I agree that the notion that an immigrant is likel...I agree that the notion that an immigrant is likely to "conquer" anything other than his or her own feelings of inadequacy is laughable.<br /><br />The issue of integrating too much, or not remaining foreign enough to be interesting, is an inherent risk in accepting positions where "being foreign" is part of the job description. It is kind of like any other time-limited job, like modelling or professional sports. There will come a time when the initial sellable asset simply won't be there any longer. For self-defense, there should be a game plan that extends beyond that initial period. That will typically require accepting the unglamorous task of learning to live as an ordinary person, doing the mundane things that are not prestige-raising either where one lives now, or back in the old country. Just like immigrants to that old country had to do, if truth were told. The world is just not that into migrants.<br /><br /><br />Inaka Nezuminoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2424131704277823220.post-22705944057099049862017-05-25T12:07:08.894+02:002017-05-25T12:07:08.894+02:00Agree. Integration largely asymmetrical towards th...Agree. Integration largely asymmetrical towards the host society.<br /><br />Thought you might find this early, official, Canadian government definition of interest - Canada Year Book 1959, citizenship section, which captures the ongoing Canadian approach:<br /><br />In keeping with the democratic belief in the dignity and freedom of the individual, it is felt that integration should be voluntary and should not be pressed. It is assumed that integration is more moderate in its demands on the immigrant and less painful for him than assimilation would be. Assimilation usually means the complete absorption of the newcomer by the dominant culture. In the process, cultural and social differences are worn off and a more-or-less homogeneous society emerges. Integration, on the other hand, recognizes and respects the cultural contributions that may be made by people of diverse ethnic backgrounds who, nevertheless, are devoted to the welfare of the same country. <br /><br />The ultimate responsibility for integration rests with the Canadian people for, without their acceptance of the newcomers into community life, there can be no integration. One of the main objectives of the Citizenship Branch therefore has been to encourage understanding and co-operation between old and new Canadians and between the various ethnic groups in the population.Andrewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10191267025812828244noreply@blogger.com