| Résumé :
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Since the end of 1990s, a growing number of countries in Europe have introduced a new kind of integration measures, the so-called civic integration policies. Formulated for the first time in the Netherlands in order to deal with the persistence of integration difficulties and the social cohesion concerns, these policies demand migrants to fulfill mandatory integration requirements in order to obtain the residence permit, its renewal, or the citizenship. Among the other countries, Italy introduced a similar policy in 2009, the Integration Agreement (IA). The Italian example appears particular interesting, since this country looked like the less probable one that could choose a similar solution. Examining the dynamics behind the adoption of the IA represents, therefore, a valuable opportunity not only to understand the Italian case, but also to highlight the mechanisms that have facilitated the diffusion of these policies in Europe. The research highlights two main aspects. On the one hand, several politicians in different countries have proposed these solutions because they represent quite useful political resources in dealing with the “democratic impatience” of our political systems (Vermeulen and Penninx 1994). On the other hand, the building up of the EU and the growing interconnections of the national policy communities in this policy sector have played an indirect but not residual role in facilitating the convergence of the European countries towards similar solutions. |
