PhD defence W. (Warda) Belabas

Immigrant integration has attained much attention in public and political discussions.  In the Netherlands, we have witnessed a policy change towards a stricter and more aggressive approach to influence behavior of migrants. This policy change is accompanied with a harshened tone regarding migrants.  In order to encounter integration of immigrants, governments – both on a national and local level – attempt to intervene in the behavior of migrants, using a simplified narrative that exudes the belief in government steering by command and control. This narrative contrasts with the empirical reality in which integration of migrants develops. My dissertation focuses on migrant integration as a governing problem and approaches the issue from an empirical point of view. Many existing studies are characterized by a top-down approach that do not sufficiently take in account the perspective of local reality.  I will focus on governing responses by local actors, and unlike many other studies – my starting point lies with those government workers who are actually confronted with migration-related challenges. Such an approach is needed in order to understand the elusive nature governing migration-related diversity and subsequently to come to policies that respond to this local reality.

The public defence will take place at the Senatehall, 1st floor of the Erasmus Building, Campus Woudestein. The ceremony will begin exactly at 11.30 hrs. In light of the solemn nature of the ceremony, we recommend that you do not take children under the age of 6 to the first part of the ceremony.