[lg policy] UK: David Cameron and the discrimination of language laws

[Harold Schiffman]

 David Cameron and the discrimination of language laws
by Ryan Shah <http://mcgilltribune.com/a/?author=Ryan%20Shah>

Jan 29, 2016
[image: ryan shah immigration language]

British Prime Minister David Cameron’s most recent language policy
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-politics-women-muslims-idUKKCN0UW14F>
is aimed at mitigating extremism in Britain by improving the English skills
of Muslim women. It requires that migrants to Britain on spousal visas pass
an English test after residing in Britain for a certain period of time. The
penalty for failure: The cancellation of their visa. Though Cameron
concedes that there is no direct link between poor English language skills
and extremism, he believes that compelling Muslim women to learn English
will help them better integrate
<http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/why-can-nobody-admit-that-camerons-policy-for-muslim-women-is-feminist-and-empowering-a6821436.html>
and thus stymie Islamist radicalization. In short, this coercive policy is
sure to intensify the alienation of an already disenfranchised community
and stiffen exclusive group identities; Cameron would do well to learn from
Quebec’s language policies in response to the migrant crisis.

As xenophobic and populist movements draw increasing support throughout
North America and Europe, mainstream politicians have responded in
kind—shifting the prevailing political narrative further to the right.
Though certain nations, such as Canada, have remained at least relatively
insulated from this seemingly unstoppable tide of demonization and
division, it is evident that migrant communities the world over will have
to grapple with the hardships of starting life in a new country in an
increasingly hostile climate. In such a time, politicians must be wary of
their word choice. Leveraging differences between minorities and their
broader communities, even with the intention of integration, dangerously
situates the discourse in the ‘us’ vs.‘them’ narrative.

Cameron’s decision to directly target such a marginalized and disadvantaged
community is, at best, misguided. At worst, it is intentionally divisive
and hateful. Cameron’s policy compounds a vast number of women from diverse
backgrounds into a monolithic other that must be socialized, lest their
husbands and brothers turn them into enemies of the West. While it may be
intended to empower otherwise marginalized women, the language of the
policy is aimed at sending a message to men—Cameron has said
<http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-politics-women-muslims-idUKKCN0UW14F>
that “this will make it clear to those men who stop their partners from
integrating that there are consequences.” However, Cameron is also sending
a message to newly immigrated Muslim women that they must learn English or
get out of the country. The English language is, therefore, not a symbol of
national cohesion, but a tool used by the government to force the hand of
an isolated community. Immigrants who are Muslim women will instead feel
more excluded and targeted, providing them with less incentive to
participate in broader British society.

This being said, not all language policies are created equal. The emergence
of xenophobic policy is not a universal phenomenon. Quebec’s response, for
instance, to the some 7,300 Syrian refugees that will be living in the
province by the end of 2016 has been to invest in the provision of access
to French lessons
<http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-syrian-refugees-french-language-integration-1.3399937>
within 45 days of their arrival to the province. Unlike Cameron’s policy,
this plan doesn’t call for coercive deadlines or finger-point at would-be
radicals. Rather, it acknowledges the inherent economic vulnerability of
new migrants and affords them the opportunity to develop their linguistic
skills.

What separates these two policies is how they are situated in the broader
context of international migration and the migrant crisis. The UK’s mandate
that Muslim women migrating to the country must conform to language
standards within a set deadline creates a precedent regarding how newcomers
to western nations should be treated. If the premise of Cameron’s policy is
to be believed, migrants are ill-intentioned miscreants who, without
intervention, will smuggle insidious ideas into ‘our country.’ Quebec’s
policy differs from that of the UK’s insofar as it isn’t focused on saving
‘us’ from ‘them;’ it is aimed instead at aiding members of a community that
are transitioning to a new environment. As increasing amounts of vulnerable
migrants from across the world move to the West, politicians must be
mindful of the contexts in which they are implementing policy. Though
integration of migrant populations is a laudable goal, it must be carried
out in ways that respect, not demonize, minority communities.
http://www.mcgilltribune.com/opinion/david-cameron-discrimination-language-laws-643182/


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