Walking a tightrope between policy and scholarship: reflections on integration principles in a hostile environment

The term 'integration' has received considerable academic attention, much of it critical. Yet it continues to be widely used in policy and practice to capture the processes of change that occur following migration from one country to another. In an environment of increasing hostility and a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of ethnic and migration studies 2024-12, Vol.50 (20), p.4943-4965
Main Authors: Phillimore, Jenny, Morrice, Linda, Strang, Alison
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Ethnocentrism
Frame analysis
hostile environment
Hostility
Immigration
Immigration policy
indicators of integration
Integration
Migrants
Migration
Policy making
principles of integration
Refugees
Scientific evidence
Walking
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Summary:The term 'integration' has received considerable academic attention, much of it critical. Yet it continues to be widely used in policy and practice to capture the processes of change that occur following migration from one country to another. In an environment of increasing hostility and anti-migrant sentiment, we outline the process of working with the UK Home Office and a wide range of stakeholders to revise the original Home Office Indicators of Integration framework [Ager and Strang (2008). "Understanding Integration: A Conceptual Framework." Journal of Refugee Studies 21: 166-191]. We directly engage with some of the key criticisms of integration by offering four core, co-developed principles: shared responsibility, context, multi-dimensionality and multi-directionality. We believe these principles cut through the institutional cultural bias of policymakers and offer a new framework for thinking about integration policy, practice and scholarship. Our work underlines the importance of scholars taking the opportunity to engage with policy and to present scientific evidence as a mechanism to confront hostile immigration practices and address the social injustices that usually accompany migration.
ISSN:1369-183X
1469-9451
DOI:10.1080/1369183X.2024.2368855