Il valore della diversità: l'immigrazione come presenza profetica

The European migrants’ integration model is traditionally characterized by a tendency to collectively represent migrants’ work and economic role in terms of an asymmetric complementarity with indigenous labour, thus producing immigrant occupational segregation and social dumping phenomena. Moreover, an over-emphasis on the economic dimension, perceived as the key element for legitimizing their presence, paradoxically inhibits the development of migrants’ potential and their participation in public life. All these factors negatively influence both the evolution of interethnic coexistence and the long term development of European societies. In order to “reinvent” this approach, three major levers were identified: enhancing the recognition of migrants’ skills, knowledge and competences (SKC); promoting the awareness of the advantages provided by the implementation of Diversity Management (DM) practices; improving migrants’ civic and voluntary involvement. Based on a selection of the findings and insights emerging from a research-project involving 10 EU countries, this article develops some political implications in order to make these levers crucial components of a wider strategy aimed at benefiting from immigration-related “diversity”, reinforcing both the economic competitiveness and the social cohesion of European society.