THE IMPACT OF MIGRATION ON SOCIAL COHESION IN DESTINATION SOCIETIES. A COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47743/asas-2025-2-833Keywords:
international migration , social cohesion, integration , social capital, discrimination, multiculturalismAbstract
International migration represents one of the most complex contemporary social phenomena, with profound implications for the demographic, economic, and cultural structures of destination societies. The present paper aims to investigate how migration influences social cohesion, using a sociological theoretical framework and a comparative approach across distinct national contexts (France, Germany, the United States, Romania, Poland, and the Scandinavian states). The study highlights that migration can be understood as an ambivalent phenomenon: on the one hand, it contributes to cultural diversity, demographic revitalization, and economic dynamism; on the other hand, it can generate segregation, identity tensions, and social polarization, especially in the absence of coherent public integration policies. The comparative analysis shows that inclusive integration models (such as those in Scandinavia) foster social cohesion, whereas restrictive or assimilationist models (such as those initially applied in France and Germany) may lead to fragmentation and conflict. In the case of Romania and Poland, as emerging immigration states, the challenges are amplified by the lack of clear policies and by the ambivalent perceptions of the majority population.
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