Comparing the politics behind the immigrant integration laws of Catalonia and South Tyrol

Abstract

How do minority regions in multi-national states respond to immigration? Do they use regional policy-making competencies to foster the inclusion of immigrants, or to tighten the boundaries of belonging exclusively around the minority? This paper answers these questions through a comparison of the immigrant integration laws of Catalonia (Spain) and South Tyrol (Italy). Qualitative content analysis of the laws shows that both regions place most emphasis on helping immigrants to become equal members of the society in the socio-economic dimension. Only the South Tyrolean law then adds also some restrictions. By contrast, South Tyrol is more flexible when it comes to cultural integration granting immigrants free choice of whether to integrate into the German or the Italian language, or both, while the Catalan law prioritises integration into Catalan culture. The paper links these differences to the dominant political dividing lines in regional party competition before the adoption of each law.