The integration of immigrants in rural communities: an example of city council's approach towards Turks in France
Abstract
As one of the countries which have among the European ones the longest tradition in receiving immigrants, France is often studied for its experiences with integration of immigrants. The rural region of Basse-Normandy is the region with the lowest share of immigrants on total population in whole France (2 %).
Half of immigrants in this region come from five countries: Morocco, Portugal, Turkey, United Kingdom and Algeria. The immigrants from Turkey are - compared to the French average - overrepresented in this region and they represent even 41 % of immigrants in the city of Flers.
The field survey carried out between 2007 and 2011 looked for the reasons of their presence in this particular city, as well as for the ways in which the city itself acted while integrating them into the major society. The attitude of the city of Flers was then compared with the attitude of other cities in this region and also with the attitude of French government.
The results shows that the Town halls in surveyed cities apply in the everyday practice a number of tools and measures which correspond with the multicultural model of local integration policy as defined by Alexander (2007). The policy measures of studied cities/districts towards immigrants was significantly influenced by the size of immigrant population, the duration of its presence in the city and its composition (country of origin, type of migration, etc.) and also by the political persuasion of the city leaders.
The data were obtained in semi-structured interviews with representatives of NGOs and of municipalities. Statistical data then shows to which extent these efforts were successful by comparing the main labor occupations of Turkish descents in both region of Basse-Normandie and in Paris, the economic capital of France.