Por una Europa de la inclusión social

Abstract

The author emphasizes that immigrationfrom outside the European Union is a historic challenge which will test the capacity of European institutions and citizens to achieve social cohesion and at the same time to respect ethnic and cultural differences. He calls forthe formulation of a new social contract, in which the social inclusion of citizens of EU member states and foreign nationals creates a shared form of citizenship and political participation, rather than a type of integration which is no more than assimilation. In this process, essential in any democracy conceived as a plural society, a key element is the language we use and the need to avoid dichotomous approaches along the lines of "us and them", inspired by discrimination, prejudice, and social conflict.