Introduction: rethinking integration. New perspectives on adaptation and settlement in the era of super-diversity

ABSTRACT

This article outlines key arguments and contributions pertaining to new perspectives on the adaptation and settlement of migrants under conditions of superdiversification and ongoing migration ‘crisis’. We seek to re-ignite interest in the development of the concept of integration and to stimulate theoretical and research advancement beyond the normative integration paradigm. Given the growing complexity, acceleration of changes and increased interconnectedness across societies as well as diversification of migrants we argue that the concept of integration need to be reconsidered. Highlighting different ways of thinking about migrant adaptation and settlement we account not only for the multi-dimensionality of integration processes, but also for the diverse nature of migrants and how their multiple characteristics shape integration opportunities and challenges. Using perspectives from multiple countries in relation to voluntary and forced migrants within and outside of the EU, this paper offers theoretical and methodological insights into how the complexity associated with super-diversity might be captured and outlines new ways of conceptualising integration. It also sets up new research agenda around the integration of transnational or transit populations, integration within fluid and super-diverse communities or the relationship between integration and intersectionality with the focus on multi-dimentionality, relativeness and modalities of social relations.

KEYWORDS:

• Super-diversity
• integration
• adaptation
• settlement
• diversification
• complexity

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1 The authors wish to express their gratitude to the nine experts in the field of integration and super-diversity who reviewed the papers, the reviewer of the special issue and the journal's editor for their useful comments and suggestions.

Additional information

Funding

The conference disseminated outputs from Aleksandra Grzymala-Kazlowska’s Marie Sklodowska-Curie fellowship which received funding from the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under REA grant agreement No 331421.