Social Integration: A Critical Analysis of Integration Policy in Britain

Running Head: SOCIAL INTEGRATION
SOCIAL INTEGRATION
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Literature review:
This literature review is structured around a critical analysis. This critical analysis has
been done taking into account a few key constructs that exists at the center of the discussion as
well as debates which surround the integration, utilized by the policy makers as well as the
politicians. I also aim to look at the analysis which will be conducted taking into account the
Hazara community. In order to do this I will focus on the context, of which the Hazara
community emigrated from.
Context on which the integration policy of Britain is based
Delving deep into the historical evidences across decades, one will find that the different
notions related to the integration and the social process it follows are underpinned inside the
migration policy of UK. According to Givens (2007), if ne lok at the policy terms he or she will
find that the notions of integration are placed into the frames or models. Modood (2011) tries to
be more specific while defining integration. According to his definition, integration is actually a
two way process which is highlighted by various procedures of interacting socially. Givens
(2007) elaborated the point discussed by Modood. According to his explanation, migrants are
expected to involve in the process of adjustment, but the natives of the new place where they
have been migrated, should help them accommodate identifying their needs.
Looking back at the period prior to the year 1960, it can be realized that an
‘Assimilationist’ model, was followed by Britain at that time. Instead of considering immigration
as a two way process, this model perceived an assumption that immigration is a one way process.
According to this model, assimilation or integration of the migrants will be possible if they are

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able to transform their cultural as well as religious beliefs according to the norms, values as well
as the conventions of the British society. Some experts argue that the Assimilation model is
basically used as an instrument to ensure the white groups, that no loss will occur on the part of
the culture, society as well a the political identity of Britain. Again some argues that this model
focused on the importance of fostering the conventions as well as status quo of the native people
of Britain. According to the argument cited in Abbas (2007, page 290.) Elias(1978) in Law
(1996) the ethnocentric beliefs nourished by Britain, which is related to the colonial history of
the country, is that being a superior country of all Britain needed to “civilize the inferior”.
Abbas (2007, page 290.) Elias(1978) considers that the view-“civilize the inferior”, fostered by
Britain is actually a reference to people who do not have white skin. According to Abbas (2007,
page 290.), this can be considered as the roots of the assimilation problem. The findings of
Holzner (1961) reveal that a whole which is integrated would be enquired if the starting point of
the analysis conducted is considered a “natural whole” which is given or a cluster related to the
empirical phenomena, for example, a community or society or the like (page 53). This can be
considered as a logical statement in support of the assumption that integration is a one way
concept. According to this statement, the immigrant community must cope with the norms,
values as well as conventions of the middle class white people, in order to accelerate the process
of integration so that they become a “normal” group.
Multiculturalism model was introduced in the post 1960’s. Modood (2011) points out that
after 1960s the assimilation model was considered as an illiberal as well as impractical model of
integration. Some experts named it inegalitarian too. Watson (2000, P.46) attempted to describe
assimilation model as a model of oppression as well as unjust, because, it make provision for the
foundation of a society, that embrace groups who are compelled to forget the origin of their

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culture. Modood (2011), has considered Multiculturalism model as an effective one, because, it
gives recognition to the identity of diverse groups as well as plurality of racisms that exists in a
culturally diverse society. This paves the way for a discussion of politics in the debates regarding
the migration policy. For this reason, the Muslim groups aim to portray diversity a point of focus
in the global Muslim Ummah. Global Muslim Ummah is actually a term borrowed from the
Arabic, which implies to ‘community’ or ‘nation’ (Fatima, 2011). According to the explanation
of Saunders (2008, P.305), the process of identification as a Muslim who belongs global ummah
can be considered as an example of identity politics. The definition provided by Bilgrami (cited
in Saunders 2008), states that the desires which are politically relevant, as well as intensely held
reflectively endorse in the recognition of the diversity defined in terms of ethnic as well as racial
groups, different schools of thoughts an sects in Islam. This in turn emphasizes the complex
concepts of Islam and global Muslim diaspora.
Thus with the popularization of the concepts of multiculturalism, the right-wing groups
refuted the notions of cultural relativism. Here the term ‘cultural relativism’ implies to the
abolition of the ideas of cultural hierarchy, which supports the domination of the western culture
and asserts that western culture is ‘superior’ to other cultures (Lumen,2017). On the other hand,
according to the thinking of the left wing like the Socialist Worker party consider that the
arguments cited by the right-wing groups which are against cultural relativism can be termed as
“re-emergence of colonial ambition” (Game, 2006).
According to Law (1996) the foundation of the concept of western modernity has been
formed depending on the institution of slavery. This again refers to the paradox that states that
the integration of the migrants and the minority groups is dependant of their exploitation. Law
(1996) finds that the parallelism of the popularity of multiculturalism as well as the Civil Rights