Diversity - A new mode of incorporation?

Abstract

Lately, cultural diversity in Western societies has, in terms of religions, languages, ethnic we-groups, transnational ties, and countries of origin, once more undergone immense growth. Modes of migrant incorporation reflect endeavours to respond to this change. While some approaches such as assimilation and multiculturalism emphasize the social integration of migrants in the host societies, the vague term 'diversity' harbours innovative measures in two respects. First, diversity addresses not only the incorporation of migrants, but also how societies and particularly their organizations deal with cultural pluralism. Second, diversity can then be understood both as an individual competence of migrants as members of organizations and the civil sphere, and as a set of programmes which organizations adopt to address cultural pluralism. Also, novel forms of diversity have emerged, such as transnationality. Yet in the absence of a rights-based foundation the question arises of how social inequality can be dealt with.