Dutch assimilation versus migrants’ hybridism: narratives of Poles in The Hague

ABSTRACT

Free movement for European Union citizens has created a new contemporary context for migration: border controls have been removed and labor markets in EU member states are open for all EU citizens. Additionally, the growth of communication and cheap and fast modes of transportation have enabled migrants to be more flexible in their migration choices. ‘Borderless’ Europe has created a migrant type that differs slightly from international migrants. In this paper stories of migrants, that would be considered ‘Marginal Men’, are used to look at Dutch integration and participation policies. In-depth interviews with three Polish migrants are used to explore how their lives are shaped in this new migration context. The narratives revealed rich detail about living in the margins and career trajectories. The unpredictability of the steps that these migrants have taken is possible because of the EU context. The respondents’ stories do not follow the lines of integration and participation as set out by Dutch national and local governments. The negative connotations linked to a lack of participation or integration do not do justice to the achievements of these men. The normative, linear perspective of the Dutch integration policy needs revision to include and support alternative migratory careers.

KEYWORDS:

• Narrative
• integration
• migratory career
• Poles
• the Netherlands

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

ORCID

Karijn Nijhoff http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6728-2271

Notes

1 http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/inburgering-en-integratie/inburgering-en-integratie-in-nederland; 25 June 2014; Author’s translation.

2 Onze samenleving kan alleen functioneren als iedereen die hier langere tijd is, meedoet en de basisprincipes van de samenleving deelt. Integratie vergt dat mensen de waarden en normen van de Nederlandse samenleving kennen en respecteren, onderwijs volgen, een baan vinden, als burgers van dit land een bijdrage leveren aan deze samenleving en respectvol met elkaar omgaan’ (L. F. Asscher, Brief aan de tweede kamer: Betreft participatieverklaring (No. 2013-0000179241), December 19, 2013).

3 EU citizens cannot be required to follow integration or language courses because of equal treatment stipulations in EU legislation. For (most) other migrants to the Netherlands, an integration course is mandatory.

4 According to Prof. Dr. Han Entzinger in an interview by BNR: http://www.bnr.nl/nieuws/politiek/750668-1302/participatiecontract-asscher-is-zinloos.

5 http://www.pbl.nl/publicaties/2010/Nieuwbouw-verhuizingen-segregatie-Effecten-van-nieuwbouw-bevolkingssamenstelling-van-stadswijken (1 August 2016).

6 Temp agency. The shipyard only employs people through temp agencies unless they are registered self-employed.

7 Nickname. His family name resembles the Polish translation of tortilla.

8 Wheel clamp.

9 Mandatory car test in the Netherlands.

10 Self-employed.

11 Taxes.