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Article published In:
Language & Citizenship
Edited by Tommaso M. Milani
[Journal of Language and Politics 14:3] 2015
► pp. 335–358

Integration in Flanders (Belgium) – Citizenship as achievement

How intertwined are ‘citizenship’ and ‘integration’ in Flemish language policies?

| | Ghent University
| | Ghent University

In this article we will show, with Flanders (Belgium) as a concrete case, how intertwined integration and citizenship discourses and policies have become in contemporary super-diverse societies. Flanders is a clear example of how integration is gradually being replaced by virtual or moral citizenship. The fact that (moral) citizenship has replaced integration, has as a consequence that the concept of citizenship has shifted, in a subtle way, from a dynamic and contextualized process, which shapes itself in daily practice through social networks, into ‘citizenship as achievement’. This is an achievement that is the sole responsibility of certain groups in society. It is also an impossible achievement, because some are exempt from it and others will always be perceived as not yet belonging to the category of ‘true citizens’.

Keywords: moral citizenship, language ideologies, language and integration policies, super diversity, social networks
Article outline
  • 1.Introduction
  • 2.The Virtualization Of Citizenship: Shifting From A Formal To A Moral Concept Of Citizenship
    • 2.1Conceptualizing citizenship
    • 2.2Integration and citizenship policies intertwined
    • 2.3Citizenship and language policies
  • 3.Socio-Political And Socio-Cultural Context In Belgium And Flanders
    • 3.1The Belgian state structure
    • 3.2Different frames of reference regarding integration and citizenship in Flanders and Wallonia
    • 3.3Transition into a super-diverse society
  • 4.Language Policies In Flanders: Citizenship And Integration Intertwined
    • 4.1Sub-state nation-building in Flanders
    • 4.2Citizenship as achievement in Flanders
    • 4.3Wallonia, integration policies at a slower but more and more steady pace
  • 5.Conclusion
  • Notes
  • References
Published online: 21 August 2015
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/jlp.14.3.02pul
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