2016-12-29T17:44:11Z https://www.taurillon.org/refugees-and-integration-a-sociological-perspective#comment22465 2016-12-29T17:44:11Z

<p>While the article is mostly written in a neutral way, I did add a critical element about the arrival of immigrants and refugees. Immigrants and refugees that are willing to adapt and integrate into the local, national and European culture are always welcome and should never be held accountable by acts of criminal refugees.</p> <p>However, the first uncontrolled stream of refugees in 2015 included numerous examples that were not willing to adjust, and these examples are people who do threaten the European way of life according to the classical theory. Those refugees will be better of receiving good care such as a place to sleep, food and water at one of the many refugee camps in the surrounding countries of Syria. Camps that are fully supported by the EU and which I support completely.</p> <p>The other theory of Ash Amin shows a more diverse European identity with cultures of the whole world residing in Europe. These mixes of culture can make for the most beautiful neighbourhoods where at one place you can get Turkish bread and around the corner Dutch stroopwafels and Japanese sushi. However these kinds of neighbourhoods of multiculturalism are up to debate as it showed versions of success and failure.</p> <p>So as said in my article's conclusion, where I put forward my own opinion, I do think that the classical theory of the European Identity fits better than the one of Amin when looking at the current situation in Europe.</p>

2016-12-29T13:03:35Z https://www.taurillon.org/refugees-and-integration-a-sociological-perspective#comment22463 2016-12-29T13:03:35Z

<p>My view is that the article presents asylum seekers and refugees in an unnecessarily negative light. It is true that crimes have been committed by asylum seekers, but I believe that the whole bulk of asylum seekers cannot be held accountable for such incidents. We're entering the age-old debate that has expanded to the comment sections on most news sites' Facebook pages, and I stand on the liberal side here. Another relevant point to be made here is that not all asylum seekers can justly be qualified as refugees, as the case of Anis Amri, the culprit of the Berlin Christmas market attack, shows.</p> <p>I believe that Paul Valery's view, as described in this article, is closer to the notion of « European values » rather than « European identity ». One must be careful not to conflate notions such as human rights and democracy exclusively with the Judeo-Christian tradition. If the idea of Europe is that of human rights, tolerance, and democracy secured by checks and balances, that idea can reside in anyone I believe. To claim that a group of people fleeing chaos and persecution should primarily be viewed as a threat to the European way of life is, in my view, excessively hostile.</p>