Part of the problem or of the solution? The involvement of religious associations in immigrant integration policy

Abstract

Across Europe we see faith-based organizations (FBOs) getting involved in the policy field of immigrant integration. The interweaving of the policy fields of religion politics and immigrant integration is particularly delicate in systems of religionstate cooperation. Here, FBOs and state actors build on each other to fulfil certain tasks. This paper explores how FBOs are involved in the field of immigrant integration and which techniques of government are being used. Drawing on empirical case studies from Austria, Germany and Switzerland, the paper shows that religious communities fulfil multiple roles as civil society actors, as religious representatives or as migrant associations. While similarities occur due to comparable structures and institutions, observed differences are the consequence of different constellations of suspicion and trust between FBOs and state actors. Schlüsselwörter Integrationspolitik, religiöse Diversität, Governance, Gouvermentalität, Islam in Europa Acknowledgement I want to thank Sieglinde Rosenberger for her helpful comments on a previous version of this article. Her analytical way of thinking, her ability to be critical beyond the sake of criticism and her fine sense for the issues of our time are always inspiring. Keywords

How religion came into play: ‘Muslim’ as a category of practice in immigrant integration debates

“…When immigrants are primarily understood as Muslims, accommodating religious claims and practices becomes the instrument of choice, ignoring and possibly avoiding much more pressing needs of immigrants in fields like education, labour market and health. Both aspects support the argument of Levent Tezcan and others who emphasise that the mingling of religion-related politics and immigrant integration is a strategy that policymakers use to implement policy measures and to govern through communities (Mattes 2017;Tezcan 2012).…”

Multi-Layered Roles of Religion among Refugees Arriving in Austria around 2015

“…While Islam has been officially recognized as a religion in Austria since 1912, it is the FBOs that dominated public welfare debates as well as aid and volunteering work during the height of the European 'refugee crisis' in the fall of 2015. Whereas Mattes (2017a) finds that German Islamic FBOs are much more involved as religious representatives and as civil society actors than Austrian or Swiss FBOs, it is the Christian welfare organizations like Caritas and Diakonie which shoulder most of the integration policy measures in Austria. Indeed, both organizations together carried out 20% of all integration projects funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs (Mattes 2017a).…”

Debating the ‘integration of Islam’: the discourse between governmental actors and Islamic representatives in Germany and the Netherlands

“…Contrasting the two expectations developed above, the question arises which of the arguments might prevail within consultations between Islamic organizations and governmental representatives in Germany and the Netherlands: Do Islamic (as challengers) and governmental actors (as supporters of the status quo) argue differently because of their divergent roles the play in the negotiations? Or do Islamic representatives ‘incorporate receiving-society issues into their own positions’ (as suggested by Schiffauer ( 2003 , p. 153) with regard to Islamic organizations in Germany) against the background of their ‘strong needs to be trusted’ (Mattes, 2017 , p. 51) which prompts them to pursue the strategy of ‘discursive assimilation’ (Schiffauer, 2003 , p. 156)?…”