Immigrant Incorporation in the U.S. and Canada: Preliminary Assessments Ron Schmidt, Professor of Political Science California State University, Long Beach Fulbright-Enders Visiting Research Chair Center for International Studies (CERIUM), University of Montreal

Introduction: Project Focus Researcher’s Training: Public Policy Studies in Political Science; Political Theory Immigrant Incorporation through Immigrant Settlement Policy What is Immigrant Settlement Policy? Why is it important?

What is Immigrant Settlement Policy? Distinguish from Immigration Policy Definition: “efforts by states to help international migrants successfully adapt to their new surroundings in a new country” Dimensions: (1) economic, (2) social, (3) cultural, (4) political.

Why is Immigrant Settlement Policy Important? Scale of Global Migration Today Important to Migrants Important to Nation-States (justice, common good, democracy) Important to Global Democratization

Future Plans for Project Four Country Comparison – Immigrant Settlement Policy: Canada U.S.A. Spain Northern European Country

Why Compare Canada & U.S.A.? Benefits of Comparison (theoria) Similarities Between Canada & U.S.A. –Important Migration Receivers –Contemporary Migration (next slides) –History of European colonialism & political systems Important Differences –Size & Geo-Political Position –Political Systems and Cultures

Foreign-Born Population – Canada & U.S.A.

Analytical Framework Question One: What is the most appropriate method of state intervention to best facilitate immigrant settlement? Question Two: What is the most appropriate integrative orientation of the settlement policy?

State Intervention Methods Prescriptive Proactive Laissez-faire

Integrative Orientations Assimilation Pluralist Integration Segregation Transnational

Analytical Paths Policy Description (both actual and proposed) Policy Analysis (per Martin Rein) –“Value-Neutral” –“Value-Committed” –“Value-Critical”

Epistemic Orientations Not “Facts” vs. “Values,” but “Value Neutral” Analysis – Cause and Effect “Value Critical” (and “Value Committed”) Analysis – Meaning and Significance

Policy Description: U.S. & Canada U.S.A. – laissez-faire & assimilation; emphasis on cultural Canada – proactive & pluralist integration; emphasis on economic, social and cultural

Contemporary Discourses Canada: Generally: “immigrants as invited guests, mostly welcomed.” Specifically: (1) underemployment of skilled, professionally licensed immigrants; (2) continuing income/wealth inequality between cultural communities. U.S.: Generally: “immigrants as burden.” Specifically: (1) excessive costs & drain on public institutions; (2) failure to assimilate.

Value-Neutral Policy Analysis 1. Specify Goals and Objectives 2. Construct Policy Alternatives 3. Articulate Hypothesized Causal Paths 4. Analyze Cause & Effect Relational Data 5. Draw Conclusions... but that is not my path here! Instead 

Value-Critical Analysis of Policy Discourse A Form of Critical Discourse Analysis Determining the stakes – what is at stake, for whom, in this policy issue? Evaluating protagonists’ narratives, frames of reference – what important, to whom, is being left out? Evaluating protagonists’ reasoning – is it logically valid and consistent?

Example: Premises of Laissez-Faire, Assimilationist View of Preferred Cultural Adaptation “Individual” responsible for Life Circumstances; U.S. is an English-speaking and mono- cultural country; “Public” and “Private” Separate, with Culture as Private; “Formal” versus “Fair” Equality of Opportunity