Cohesion on the Horizon: The Construction of Intercultural Integration Policy in Neuchâtel

Author(s) : Céline Maye, Federica Merzaghi, Sandrine Keriakos Bugada

Source : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62603-1_10

Abstract:

The canton of Neuchâtel is considered as a pioneer in the area of integration policies in Switzerland. It has adopted an intercultural, democratic, and inclusive approach since the 1990s. This chapter focuses on the main principles of Neuchâtel’s intercultural integration model: public rhetoric about diversity advantages, citizenship (foreigners can vote since the nineteenth century), transversality, welcoming policies, mediation, and participation. With an in-depth analysis of the example of long-term multiconfessional burial grounds, this text presents an analysis of strategies used to face a number of obstacles in the implementation of intercultural policies and principles.