Forward Look Description
Since the beginning of times men and women have migrated and migration has always entailed multiple affiliations and identities. The fact of having diverse affiliations has, however, had different consequences and meanings at different times. Being "mixed" was, for example, a positive thing for Montaigne for whom a decent person was a multicultural one: "un honnête homme est un homme mêlé". At other times, being of mixed descent has had terrifying consequences, when the combination was not considered socially desirable. In our days, the immigration to Europe from non-European or from semi-peripheral countries has given the questions of cultural identities and cultural integration a new turn.
In the last ten years there has been a growing awareness that immigrants from non-European countries have established new types of transnational affiliations, which differ from the traditional immigrant/minority positions known previously. In contrast to the classical models of integration and assimilation, we are now seeing simultaneously local and pluralistic identities, simultaneously ethnic and transnational affiliations, and simultaneously collectivistic and individualistic attitudes. Such combinations are challenging the use of well-established concepts and theories in psychology and the behavioural sciences.
The widespread use of electronic communication, and the constantly changing borders of the public space of minority groups in Europe has led to affiliations that seem to develop independently of the old or the new country. Such transnational affiliations entail a certain degree of insight in the rules and regulations of both old and new societies, but no strong ties to either of them, and new conceptions of citizenship. This is especially true for the descendants of first generation immigrants who have few connections with their parents’ home country, a very limited knowledge of the original language, and a loose association to the new country. These processes have been studied mainly in relation to their social, political and economic implications (e.g., Schiller, Basch & Blanc-Szanton, 1992; Hannertz, 1996 Basch et al, 1997; Smith et al, 1997; Roy, 1999; Kastoryano, 2000; Mancho, 2000; Dassetto, 2000).
The interest of the social sciences in investigating such questions in the European scene is evident. As a matter of fact, the Standing Committee for the Social Sciences at the ESF have conducted a Forward Look Workshop on the topic of "Cultural diversity, collective identity and political participation". Their interest in the topic is motivated by the far-reaching changes that have taken place in Europe in the contemporary era, and which have an impact on collective identities: a) changes in the international systems and shifts of hegemonies within them; b) internal ideological changes in Western societies; c) the development of new processes of globalization; and d) processes of democratization and growing demands of various social sectors for access into the centers of their respective societies, as well as into international arenas. (Eisenstadt, N.S. Collective Identities, Public Spheres, Civil Society and Citizenship in the Contemporary Era . Paper prepared for ESF Forward Looking Workshop on Cultural Diversity, Collective Identity and Collective Action, Menaggio, 3-7 April 2002. )
Phenomena related to migration and collective identities need to be studied in their present historical context, also from the point of view of the humanities and with methods that are relevant for the human sciences. The above-mentioned social changes which characterise our, so-called post-modern civilisation, have implications at all levels from the global and societal to the individual and private. Immigration has a different meaning and different consequences in contemporary Europe than at earlier times. Similarly, the construction of collective identities in today’s multicultural and multi-religious Europe probably follows different paths and entails different processes from the ones known from other societies and other historical periods. We lack knowledge on a series of relevant and significant questions, which this Forward Look Conference in the Humanities proposes to deal with:
1. A historical perspective on transcultural/transnational identities in Europe: The term "cultural identity" is over-used but poorly defined. It encompasses notions ranging from essentialistic conceptions of enduring and determined traits to the post- modernistic assumption that identity is nothing but a construction, a series of self-narratives. An analysis of the way in which collective and transnational identities in Europe have been conceived of and studied earlier, in other words, a historical approach to the subject will be a natural one for the human sciences, and it will contribute to an understanding of the present situation. We propose to discuss this topic under two headings: a) The use of historical paradigms in constructing identities today. Tales, myths and images of earlier non-European identities, and how they influence the perception and self-perception of immigrant populations in Europe today. b) A historical perspective on the intergenerational aspects of collective identities: changes and transformations, (e.g. upward mobility and identity assertion) in immigrant populations through generations.
2. Recognition and representation: National legislation, religious law and identity
The following topics will be addressed: Claims of legitimate recognition by non-European immigrants in Europe. Interactive relations between legal categories, religious discourse and the construction of identities. The effect of the different forms of legislation on the practice of Islam. The acceptance or refusal of the national legislation to follow the Muslim rules.
3. The subjective experience of cultural belonging - Cultural and artistic expressions of identity: The impact of the political and economical climate of the new country on objective measures of acculturation of immigrants (schooling, employment, skills, etc.) has been studied in several European countries. However we know very little about how the history and religion of the new countries, and how their policies toward minorities influence the experience of cultural belonging and of the self-definition of the immigrants themselves. Autobiographies, novels, poetry, films, in short immigrant literature and art, are the best sources of information on the subjective experience of cultural identity. The study of these sources should be supplied with data obtained from larger samples, through both quantitative and especially qualitative methods. Immigrant-cultures are not static, they change, they create languages and find artistic ways of expression in the course of adjusting to new environments. Modern immigrant literature, (neo-ethnic)- art, theatre, film, the Internet and other media.
4. Language and identity: This workshop will address the following topics: What is a mother tongue? The appropriation of language. Changes in the language of origin. The production of "immigrant-languages". The mechanisms of external borrowing (from a language-source to a language-contact) in linguistic change. The impact of the linguistic productions of immigrants on the language of the host countries. Comparative studies across Europe on the emergence of new vernacular languages. ("languages of outcasts")
5. The development of psychosocial conflicts and their prevention: The prevalence of aggressive behaviour and criminality in marginalised second generation immigrants, and the ensuing xenophobic reactions of the majority population is a cause of concern in many European societies. There is a need for anthropological and ethnographic studies of these phenomena, as well as for psychological investigations of how cultural beliefs, values, and cognitive styles (e.g. causal attribution, risk perception and learned problem solving behaviour), influence the development of inter-group conflicts.
6. Muslim-Christian interactions: Key words: The relation between immigration studies and Islamic discourses. Changes in the perception of moral values, in gender-roles and in the perception of shame and guilt among immigrants. The impact of a Muslim presence on the religious attitudes of the majority population.
The aim of Scientific Forward Looks Conference is to produce assessments and recommendations for new directions in research on a given topic by bringing together persons of the highest scientific quality in the field. We propose the following schedule for the present Forward Look Conference: Four preparatory workshops (in the above mentioned areas) each held on the basis of prepared and circulated papers are to precede the final conference. Each workshop will be based on papers prepared by the participants, who will be selected because of their expertise in the mentioned six areas.. These workshop-papers will be published as scientific ESF-publications. They will in turn constitute the basis for the final conference. The aim of the final conference (and the ensuing conference-report) will be to provide a reference for future research goals likely to be accepted by the scientific community at large as well as by funding research agencies.
References
Basch, L. Schiller, N.G., and Blanc-Szanton, C. Nations Unbound. Amsterdam, 1997
Dassetto, F. (ed). Paroles dIslam - Islamic Words. Paris: Maisonneuve Larose, 2000
Hannertz, U. Transnational connections. Culture people, places. London, 1996
Kastoryano, R. Settlement, transnational communities and citizenship. Int. Soc. Sci. J. 2000, 165, 307-312
Manco, U. Les voix et les voies musulmannes en Europe. Bruxelles, 2000
Roy, O. Vers un Islam européen. Paris, 1999
Schiller, N.G., Basch, L. & Blanc-Szanton, C. Towards a transnational perspective on migration. New York Academy of Sciences, 1992, 645, 1-259
Smith, J., Chatfield, C, and Pagnucco, R. Transnational social movements and global politics. Syracuse, 1997
