Professor of Diversity and Integration Halleh Ghorashi is calling for a new vision of integration. “Migration offers opportunities for our society. Think of the shortage of workers on the labour market and the ageing population. These opportunities are rarely mentioned in the debate.”
Attention is primarily paid to the problems, Ghorashi says, such as high unemployment and generations of failed integration. “That’s not surprising, because, from a policy perspective, migrants are always portrayed as a problem. Focusing on the often hidden talents and qualities of migrants and refugees enables them to develop, and allows society to benefit from the input of highly motivated citizens who are keen to contribute to their new society. But they can only have this opportunity if we stop focusing on their shortcomings and disadvantages, and facilitate them instead to develop their skills and talents, especially in the first years after arrival. That way, they get the chance to excel and make their dreams come true. That’s what happened to me. I was lucky enough to come to the Netherlands at the right time, and to come across the right people who saw my talents and didn’t fixate on my weaknesses.”
In addition to her work as a professor at VU Amsterdam, Ghorashi is a crown member of the Social and Economic Council (SER) and a member of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) and the Royal Holland Society of Sciences and Humanities (KHMW).