The Management of Immigration Related Cultural Diversity In European Federated Entities The Case of Switzerland

Abstract

Switzerland is experiencing since the late 19th century immigration as economic necessity and cultural threat. The Bilateral Agreement with the EU (2002) changed fundamentally the setting, allowing free circulation for Europeans, but restricting access to third country nationals. With regard to migrant-related political fields, cantons use their autonomy to experiment with various approaches. Particularly the issue of language has become an indicator for measuring integration at the level of cantons and municipalities, strengthening in some areas of the country regional monolinguism. The cantons are also responsible for regulating the relationship between religious communities and the state. In particular recognition of new religious communities are dependent of the historical legacy, and how cantons want to regulate religious pluralism. Cultural promotion is primarily the duty of the cantons, but the Confederation supports the activities of the cantons. Cultural public sponsoring increasingly detects challenges as demographic change and societal pluralization, supporting artistic initiatives that reflect this transformation.

Keywords

• Immigration
• Switzerland
• Integration
• diversity policy