French Model of Integration of Immigrants Facing the Modern Challenges

Abstract

Article examines specifics of French model of integration of immigrants, as well as the evolution of integration practices. It is shown that integration model was based initially on principles of assimilation, and ethnic and religious identity of the migrants was not taken into account. It is established that current model of integration does not require cultural unification, but does not allow institutionalization of immigrant communities as representatives of interests of migrants. Author concludes that the reasons for re-Islamization, which mainly affected second and third generation of migrants, were structural transformations in economy, as well as an increase in the number and geography of migration flows. Article analyzes factors that contributed to formation and spread of ethno-religious communities in the country, as well as driving forces that led to the rise of Islamist radicalism and surge of terrorist acts. Special attention is given to the problem of interaction of a secular, democratic state and society with Islam, a significant part of whose adherents belong to different socio-cultural paradigm than the indigenous population. Author focuses on current political initiatives of President Macron, to demarginalize urban suburbs, as well as measures taken to structure Islam in France and counter Islamist radicalism. In this research, author uses a political and cultural approach that integrates methods of sociology, socioculturology, psychology, which makes it possible to study socio-cultural dimension of politics, symbolic aspect of public life, as well as restores the role and significance of human person as the main actor in political process.