The creation of new occupational patterns for cultural minorities: The Gypsy case

Transcription

1 The creation of new occupational patterns for cultural minorities: The Gypsy case WORKALÓ Project HPSE-ct Project Supported by the European Commission Directorate General for Research Framework Programme

2 Table of Contents Introduction... 4 Exclusionary dimensions... 5 Economy ) General... 5 Not everyone needs to go to university... 5 Lack of interest and motivation of people according to employers... 5 Lack of an academic title... 6 Sexism and labour profiles according to gender... 6 View of older people: few abilities and labour flexibility... 6 No disposal to sufficient capital to be able to initiate own business ) Particular to ethnic minorities and Romaní community... 7 Greater incidence of exclusionary dimensions in ethnic minority groups and the Romaní community, on a general level... 7 The accordance of physical appearance and stereotypes... 7 Unadaptability to work schedule and rules... 8 Ethnic discrimination in access to the labour market... 8 Ethnic segmentation in the labour market: classification in determined professions... 9 Accentuating labour segmentation on the basis of gender for women from ethnic minority groups ) Particular to other ethnic minorities...10 Racism based on market conditions...10 Policies...10 Absence of the voices in political processes: policies that provoke an affect contrary to the desired affect...10 The assistential policies perceived as insufficient...11 Educational segregation...11 Culture...12 Difference and cultural equality: Cultural relativisim and ethnocentrism...12 Generalisation of deficits: low expectations...12 Identification of minorities with delinquency...13 Gender stereotypes are reinforced for ethnic minorities...13 Societal Community...14 Disintegrative role of institutions...14 Ignorance of the other...14 Assimilation practices with ethnic minorities...14 Transformative dimensions

3 Economy ) General level...16 Access to a quality job...16 Appraisal of abilities and competences...16 Companies interest in workers training...16 Some companies highlight the need for every worker to have training that is multifaceted. It is evident that competitiveness of companies in the Knowledge Society s does not mean a staff without training, but a staff in which the selection and processing of information is one of the main facets. In this way, some employers think that the training of all their workers is basic Overcoming of sexist and ageist barriers...16 Obtaining credits for self-employability for those most in need ) Particular to ethnic minorities and the Romaní community:...17 Elimination of occupational ghettos...17 Inclusion of ethnic minorities in the sector of the CIT and information management...17 Labour anti-racism...18 Self-organisation and solidarity )The specific level of other ethnic minorities:...18 Recognition of the citizenship rights...18 Recognition of degrees...18 Policies...19 Courses in job training for increasing possibilities for labour insertion and facing social inequalities...19 Recognition and inclusion of the different voices in public policies...19 Integral policies...20 Successful educational models...20 Culture...21 Cultural Intelligence...21 Positive values and traditions...21 Dynamism of minority cultures...21 Knowing the other: breaking stereotypes...21 Altas expectativas igualdad de resultados Societal Community...22 Integrative role of institutions...22 Equality of differences...22 Intercultural coexistence and solidarity...22 Egalitarian dialogue...22 Conclusion

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5 Introduction Ethnic minorities from different European countries face processes of exclusion, many of which, are related to racist attitudes. These attitudes and the dimensions that sustain them are perceived in the results of the fieldwork carried out by each country participating in the Workaló project with the employers, employess and trainers. Alongside this, we also have the contributions of the AMAL project and the reports elaborated during the Workpackage 2 about policies, profiles, skills and training. This report attempts to point out the barriers and exclusionary dimensions as well as the elements that help to overcome them, or the transformative dimensions that favour the social inclusion of ethnic minorities in Europe. While we focus on the dimensions that affect the Romaní community in a similar way as the other ethnic minorities, we also point out some specificities of the Romaní people that the other minority groups do not share with them. This document is structured according to four main dimensions - economy, policies, culture and societal community - which consider the variables of social class, ethnicity, gender, education and age. The Economy section deals with the dimensions that address production and securing of goods and services; the section on Policies considers cultural minorities in governmental actions; the section on Culture looks at the maintenance of cultural guidelines and socialisation processes; lastly, the section on Societal Community addresses the aspects that guarantee social cohesion or complicate it. 4

6 Exclusionary dimensions Economy The subsystem of the economy has a main function of attaining resources to secure goods and services. The objective of this section is to shed light on the elements from the labour market that become obstacles for the inclusion of the ethnic minorities we study. This section addresses all that is related to the following: precarious work, demands, required skills and competencies, the professional profiles that are demanded today and the perceptions of some employers and trainers. In this sense, on one level we situate the exclusionary elements that occur in the sphere of the labour market and that affect everyone, regardless of their ethnic origin; on another level we look at those elements that directly affect the Romaní community or other minority groups based on ethno-cultural specificity; on a third and last level, we consider those that strictly affect ethnic minorities. 1) General Not everyone needs to go to university Employers still have the perception that it is not necessary for everyone to access the university, eventhough current European and scientific policies consider higher education and lifelong learning as basic elements of the Knowledge Society. Therefore, to affirm that not everyone can access these studies is legitimising and justifying a policy that limits a significant number of people from accessing education and quality jobs. Lack of interest and motivation of people according to employers An exclusionary element that has been identified from the interviews that were realised in the different participating countries is the fact that workers were seen to lack interest towards education and labour promotion. People with a higher educational level are considered to be more motivated for being promoted at work as opposed to those without academic degrees. In this way, the Matthew Effect is created, given that those who have more are granted more, which impedes breaking the exclusionary cycle. 5

7 Lack of an academic title In addition to the belief that not everyone needs to access the university and that there employees lack the interest, the lack of academic degrees is one of the main barrier in access to quality work and social prestige. A statistic that demonstrates that an academic degree is necessary in order to obtain employment is the relationship between the percentage of unemployed with their educational level. For example, the unemployment index in the European community of people between 35 and 44 years of age, with higher education degrees is three times lower (4.3%) than for people of the same age who have primary school studies - compulsory education - (12.5%) 1. Sexism and labour profiles according to gender Since the 70s and 80s there has been a progressive increase in the participation of women in the formal labour market, thanks, in part, to the demands of social movements, women's access to the university - currently there are more women than men in higher education classrooms - and the promotion of policies for equal opportunities. Eventhough there has been an increase in participation, the distribution of positions between men and women are unequal. Women are still not present in the same way as men in the jobs with more responsibility and social prestige. Among employers, there is still the view that hiring a woman is not profitable because of the possibility of pregnancy and/or that she might not be able to fulfill certain activities because of familial responsibilities. In the labour market, some of the professional profiles tend to be distributed with gender in mind. For example, as opposed to jobs like electrician, labourer and construction worker, which tend to hire men, the jobs related to cleaning or selling explicitely look for women. This occurs due to stereotypes about the jobs that men and women should do. According to the opinions we have gathered in the fieldwork, the jobs related with physical work would be carried out better by men, while others, such as cleaning, are recommended for women. In short, women tend to come up against sexist barriers in access to the labour market as well as promotion within it. View of older people: few abilities and labour flexibility Ageism is a barrier that affects many older people. In given positions they tend to hire young people because they are perceived to be more receptive to education at work and in assuming the business culture, while there is an image of older people as being less creative and less flexible. Many times people's experience 1 Source: Eurostat. Labour Force Survey Unemployment rates of persons aged 25 to 59 years by educational attainment level. Table

8 and skills are not taken into account because they are not seen as a contribution, but rather as a possible source of problems. No disposal to sufficient capital to be able to initiate own business In order to leave the circle of social exclusion through self-run projects (small businesses), it is unlikely for people from ethnic minorities to do this if they do not have resources for capital. The guarantees that are required for being able to attain bank credit are not based on the solidity of the project that is presented, nor on the prior experience of the solicitor, but instead, on the capital they have accumulated. There are still few projects that provide microcredits to people who want to start up their own business and who cannot get credit through the avenues offered by the economic system because they do not dispose of the socioeconomic conditions that these economic institutions require. 2) Particular to ethnic minorities and Romani community Greater incidence of exclusionary dimensions in ethnic minority groups and the Romaní community, on a general level. Despite the fact that the dimensions that have been pointed out until now affect the entire population at risk of exclusion, regardless of the fact that they belong to a minority group, a considerable part of minorities face more difficulties and more barriers. With respect to the three initial dimensions that were indicated: the lower academic levels of people belonging to ethnic minorities, especially the Romaní community, complicates their access to higher education and therefore, to the higher skilled profiles in the labour market. This, linked with the fact that a majority participate in the informal economy, or, the lower skilled work profiles of the labour market, or to their exclusion, greatly complicates the accumulation of capital for making it possible to build their own businesses. Similarly, women (as we will see specifically) and older people suffer a double form of exclusion, given that along with the stereotypes these groups face, there are also those that affect the minority groups to which they belong. The accordance of physical appearance and stereotypes Another barrier in access to the labour market, for some ethnic minorities is the identification of their physical appearance with a stereotyped view of the group. A person that has certain physical features that correspond with the stereotype of the Romaní or Arab-Muslim person would have difficulties in accessing a majority of the positions, above all, those that deal with the public. Racist attitudes that are found at the root of these barriers, do not judge the person for their individual merits, but instead assign them a collective behavior. 7

9 Unadaptability to work schedule and rules One of the most commonly used arguments to justify not hiring people from the Romaní and Arab-Muslim cultures is that they do not comply with the basic job requirements (work schedule and rules). In the industrial society, modern racism affirmed the existence of other ethnicities, like the Romaní or Arab-Muslim, but considered them to be inferior. This perspective has been combatted by the antiracist movements in Europe throughout the second half of the 20th Century. In the Knowledge Society, racist attitudes have changed, giving way to new forms of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity. In today's society, it is not permissible to affirm that there are ethnicities that are inferior, however, it is common to point out that groups are different making it impossible to reach agreements with them. In this way, through postmodern racism, the argument consists in affirming that we cannot live together and assure equal opportunities for everyone. It is believed that this is unfeasible because of our cultural differences. For example, it is common to hear arguments which contend that some ethnic minorities do not accept going to school or participating in the labour market for cultural reasons 2. Through this perception, the exclusion of certain minority groups is justified on the basis of cultural differences and an incompatibility with western customs and rules. Thus, employers who have not had contact with the minorities mentioned here, avoid hiring people who belong to these groups, making assumptions about their behaviors on the basis of stereotypes. This is reflected in concrete guidelines for hiring personnel in certain companies in which they highlight the negative aspects of hiring people who have traits and/or belong to a certain cultural group. For example, Arab-Muslim women recognise that they have many problems for accessing a job without giving up the veil (hiyab). In Spain, reports about personnel selection in a company were discovered in which people were selected according to physical aspects and/or ethnic group: for being Roma, or "moor" (a denigrating way of calling an Arab- Muslim person), etc. Ethnic discrimination in access to the labour market Discrimination in access to the labour market for reasons of ethnicity exists in Europe today. The dimensions that were addressed earlier demonstrate how this discrimination not only affects people with a low educational level, but also those with university degrees. 2 Flecha, R Racismo no gracias: ni moderno, ni posmoderno. Barcelona: El Roure. 8

10 A communication presented in the last Conference of the European Sociology Association (ESA) 3 points out that ethnicity is an aspect that has an impact on attaining a job in France. The communication analyses the labour situation people from ethnic minorities with studies in higher education face and the obstacles they encounter in finding work. A quantitative piece of information that demonstrates the existence of discrimination on the basis of ethnicity in the access to the labour market is the unemployment rate. While the unemployment rates for people who have university studies and French parent is around 5.4%, those who have parents born in North Africa is around 13%. This is not a peculiar aspect to France nor to young people with a university degree who have African parents; ethnic minorities also face obstacles to accessing the labor market in other countries. An example that Fundación Secretariado General Gitano (FSGG) 4 disseminated and the El Mundo newspaper is about a young Rom computer engineer who, although he had a degree in one of the most sought after occupations in the Knowledge Society, he was not hired in various different positions for which he interviewed, because he was Roma 5. Ethnic segmentation in the labour market: classification in determined professions In the distribution of ethnic minorities in the European labour market it is evident that ethnic and economic origin takes precedence over educational level or prior experience. Many people from certain ethnic minorities, like Romaní, Arab- Muslim, or North African are present, almost entirely in low skilled jobs and absent in occupations of responsibility. This situation perpetuates the cycle of exclusion in which many people from ethnic minority groups encounter themselves in and breaks with expectations of getting quality jobs. Accentuating labour segmentation on the basis of gender for women from ethnic minority groups. In addition to the segmentation in the labour market on the basis of gender, Romi and other minorities such as Arab-Muslim and Africans also encounter inequalities and exclusion. In the case of immigrant women the dominant activities they partake in are domestic service, sales - above all among Senegalese, Argentinian and Chinese women - and agriculture, which attracts only Algerian, Senegalese and Moroccan women (IOE, 1999) 6. The range of work 3 Frickey, A; Murdoch, J y Primon, J. L From higher education to employment: inequalities between ethnic backgrounds in France. Murcia: ESA conference. September, 23-27th This is the Foundation Roma Secretariate General 5 El Mundo. Only 2,7% of the contracts that Roma attain are longer than one year. July 22, Colectivo IOE Inmigración y trabajo en España. Trabajadores inmigrantes en el sector de la hosteleria. Madrid: MTAS, IMSERSO, OPI 9

11 options become narrower for women from ethnic minorities given that they encounter a double form of discrimination: for being women and for belonging to an ethnic minority group. 3) Particular to other ethnic minorities Racism based on market conditions One of the differences between the Romaní community and other minority groups is the widespread belief that the racism that exists is due to the competition their presence causes in the labour market. The tendency is to argue that racism towards immigration is due to the fear that native people or the hegemonic culture will lose positions in the labour market. This belief is evident in the majority of European countries, and proof of this are the votes and electoral messages of the extreme right parties in Austria, Holland, France, Sweden, Switzerland and Italy, as well as the immigration laws that threaten the fundamental rights of people like the Spanish or Italian one. The most explicit forms of racism on a European level occurs with people from Arab and Subsaharian countries, as well as the Romaní community. If we look at the scientific facts, however, we see that in terms of labour competition these minority groups would not be the main competitors. Instead those who are from Latin American countries, Eastern Europe or Europe get employment with more facility than the non-competitors. Policies The subsystem of policies analyse all of the actions taken by the administration dealing with education, professional training and labour and social inclusion of ethnic minority groups. On the one hand, this point addresses the actions that part from the view that ethnic minorities are inferior: without contemplating their prior experience and educational level; on the other hand, it looks at the actions in terms of education and training that reproduce the marginalisation of these collectives. Exclusionary actions affect, in similar ways, Roma and members of the most discriminated ethnic minority groups from the Arab-Muslim and African cultures. Although some systemic actions are by nature segregatory, there are also inclusionary practices that appear in the section on transformative dimensions. Absence of the voices in political processes: policies that provoke an affect contrary to the desired affect The elaboration of legislative texts has been realised without relying on the voice of the Roma and other cultural minorities. This provokes the situation that policies focused on the social exclusion of different ethnic minorities have 10

12 perlocutionary effects and produce results that are contrary to the aims set out. In this sense, in order to have laws and policies that can attain the objectives of social cohesion and inclusion, we have to part from illocutionary language with the different cultural minority groups in Europe. Through the identification of immigrant collectives that are undocumented, the itinerant Romaní community who are delinquent in the Law of interior security in France and some of the immigration laws there is the aim to seek social cohesion. However, the results are actually the contrary: stigmatisation, disintegration and exclusion. The assistential policies perceived as insufficient The assistential approach of social policies is a barrier. Aid that parts from these policies are seen as necessary by ethnic minorities, but they believe that they are not sufficient for overcoming exclusion. The construction of social policies only based on concrete problems is negatively impacting on ethnic minorities who see, for instance, how their educational and economic situation does not reach the same level as the rest of the population. Educational segregation The belief that not everyone needs to go to university, which we address in the the subsection on Economy also appears in this sphere. This type of belief, based on stereotypes, influence in the elaboration of education and training policies that affect everyone equally regardless of their ethnic origin. Even still, the number of ethnic minorities that end up on the exclusionary track, without access to higher education is greater than the others. On an institutional level excluded groups frequently receive a compensatory education. This is based on the idea that people have educational deficits in comparison to the majority of students and compensatory measures are applied to alleviate these deficits. These measures manifest themselves in the separation of the student body by levels in which Roma and immigrants tend not to reach university. Instead they are directly steered towards the labour market or second opportunity courses in which they are taught low skilled trades that do not provide instruments for helping them to adapt to the flexibility required in the Knowledge Society. Educational segregation is defended by certain sectors as a solution for the problems to school failure and conflict, given that it arrives at removing the students with more difficulties from the classroom. In the European report about quality education: sixteen indicators (2000) proposed initiative for second opportunity, that are applied in France, Spain, Germany, U.K. and the Netherlands that reaffirm segregation. 11

13 Other sectors, as we will see in the transformative dimensions, are denying this as a way to resolve the issue of school failure and turn to inclusive measures and the equality of results, such as Learning Communities 7. Culture In this dimension we address the maintenance of social guidelines where science, values, prejudices, education, the traditions of the very community, and so on are included. This subsection attempts to observe how cultural reproduction and socialisation occurs, through certain concrete cultural expressions and creations. In this sense, education and the creation/dissemination of stereotypes play a key role in this section. Difference and cultural equality: Cultural relativisim and ethnocentrism As we have pointed out in the section - Unadaptability to work schedule and rules - highlighting cultural differences and the supposed lack of ability for different groups to be able to agree in daily relations is an exclusionary dimension that tends to promote more conflict than understanding. In response to this situation there are two exclusionary responses. Those who only focus on cultural differences contend that each culture has their own cultural guidelines and that the objective is to respect them without seeking understanding or social inclusion. The cultural relativism of this perspective ignores that differences are linked to inequalities between different groups that we analyse and that respect for difference without dialogue reinforces inequalities and exclusion. The ethnocentric perspective does not recognise collective rights of different communities and defends the idea that equality can only occur through minorities' adaptation to the same cultural guidelines. In this case, social inclusion does not mean the recognition of the differences of minority groups, but instead assimilation to the dominant culture. Both perspectives are exclusionary because, the first renounces the objective of equality, while the second defines equality through the assmilation to the hegemonic culture. This generates barriers that make it unviable for the majority of people from ethnic minority groups, at risk of exclusion, to overcome this situation. Generalisation of deficits: low expectations 7 Elboj, C ; Puigdellívol, I ; Soler, M y Valls, R Comunidades de Aprendizaje : Transformar la educación. Barcelona: Editorial Graó. 12

14 One of the aspects that most negatively influence education for ethnic minorities in Europe is the view that some of the teachers have of Romaní, Arab and North African students. Some teachers have discriminatory views, affirming that they cannot keep up with the rhythm of the other students. They have low expectations, placing them in segregatory tracks. These types of actions, which turn to segregatory measures in the educational system by separating students with lower results, are based on the belief that the presence of these students influence the results of the rest of the students. Contrary to these beliefs, it has been scientifically demonstrated that the presence of students with different performance levels does not have a negative affect on the academic results of students with better results. For example, Richard W. Riley -ex U.S. secretary of education - points out that the basic points of the education reform NCLB (No Child Left Behind) aims to assure that each child reaches their maximum potential, given that everyone is able to learn at the highest levels 8. Identification of minorities with delinquency Among the many stereotypes, there is the one that attributes a high probability for delinquency to people from ethnic minority groups. By identifying Roma and Maghrebis as delinquents, the possibility for dialogue is closed and the rejection of these groups is promoted. This identification is not only based on interactions between people, but also from the system. During the last five years - the media and the government - has related negative images of immigrants, most of all Maghrebis, and Subhsaharians with delinquency. One clear example is the survey of Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas de España (CIS) in April 2002, in which there was a question relating immigration 9 and delinquency and the immigration laws of Italy and Spain, which handles the issue of being undocumented as an offense. The Romaní community has also been an object of stereotyping. Identifying them with illicit activities or as individuals that should not really be trusted. This also appears in the fieldwork carried out with non-roma. Definitely, it is not only ignorance of the other in interactions between people that reinforces stereotypes, there is also a desintegrative dimension in institutions, given that they promote an exclusionary view - like the ones we have seen - about ethnic minorities. Gender stereotypes are reinforced for ethnic minorities 8 Interview with Richard W. Riley/ Ex U.S. secretary of Education, El País, October 14, The question in the CIS survey was: Está usted de acuerdo con que hoy en día en España existe una relación ente inmigración y delincuencia?[do you agree with the fact that today in Spain there is a relationship between immigration and delinquency?]. The presence of this question in the survey raised critiques from immigrant associations. ATIME (Asociación de Trabajadores Inmigrantes Marroquíes en España) denounced the attempt to compare immigration with delinquency. 13

15 The ignorance of the other reinforces gender stereotypes of cultural minorities, above all, about the Arab-Muslim and Romaní culture. It is affirmed that Roma and Arabs are machos and that women are submitted to patriarchy and the imposition of a religious character, such as the Islamic veil. This perspective is based on a static view of cultures and does not take into account its dynamism. Furthermore, it does not take into account that cultural guidelines are continuously put to debate and transform, in accordance with this debate, the same as in the dominant culture, which considers itself to be the only one that is changing. Societal Community The societal community presents an integrative framework that allows for the articulation of different social structures within the social system, and is based on a series of collective norms that guarantee cohesion in society. Through dialogue and people's and groups' intervention there are norms created and assumed, based on shared values within people's lifeworld. This subsection highlights the dimensions that delegitimise the participation of ethnic minorities in the economic, political and cultural subsystem. These aspects endanger the loyalty to collective norms and social cohesion is diluted. Disintegrative role of institutions The institutions must have an integrative role and create spaces for dialogue for everyone. Even if they have this objective, at times, they promote exclusionary practices towards ethnic minorities. These practices occur in the schools, politics and the labour market, by not including the voices and participation of ethnic minorities in these spaces on equal terms with everyone else. Ignorance of the other Ignorance of different cultures that coexist in a territory is a barrier for the inclusion of ethnic minorities in today's society, given that stereotypes and fear of the unknown - fed partly by the media and the political sector- can affect social relations between people, and ethnic minorities' access to education and the labour market on egalitarian terms and with equal results. Assimilation practices with ethnic minorities The attitudes of people from different political and social spheres influence legislation and current policies in different ways. In some cases, ethnic minorities are required - through perlocutionary acts - to abandon their cultural traditions in public spaces, appealing to "duties for integration and secularism". These assimilationist aspects forbid the use of elements that reflect personal and individual identity, like the hiyab - the Islamic veil - which might have been personal life choices. 14

16 An obvious case of this barrier is the expulsion of two girls from a french high school - Alma and Lila Lévy - for wearing an Islamic veil (hiyab) 10. The two girls, with a jewish father and christian mother (converted from a non-practicing Muslim) opted to wear a veil as a personal life choice, and were expulsed from the center for unruliness, for rejecting to adapte their attire to the rules and promoting the alteration of the order of things by participating in a protest march in front of the school. This type of law not only affects Arab-Muslim people, but also other ethnic minorities like the Romaní community. The current LOPSI (Loi d Orientation et de Programmation pour la Sécurité Intérieure) 11 serves as an example. This law prohibits parking caravans and obligates Roma to live in precariety. The effects of the law are not promoting - as aimed - the inclusion of Romaní itinerants and their settlement, but their criminalisation and persecution through the confiscation of cars or expulsion from municipalities. Transformative dimensions The Workaló project starts from the assumption that in the knowledge society, there are not only exclusionary dimensions, but also transformative ones in the different subsystems. Thus, the subjects have not only internalised exclusionary dimensions, but there are transformative componenets that are part of our lifeworld. Through these elements one can analyse situations in which one could find him/herself (Habermas: 1987). Thus, these elements, which enhance social cohesion and that have a utility for the elaboration of public policy, become obvious in a scientific and a rigorous way. Following the line of the document, there are highlighted those elements that the Roma community share with the other ethnic minorities and those that are specific to their community. 10 La Vanguardia, 10 and 12 of October, The article of the LOPSI (Ley de Orientación y Programación para la Seguridad Interior) affirms the following: «Le fait de s installer en réunion, en vue d y établir une habitation, même temporaire, sur un terrain appartenant soit à une commune qui s est conformée aux obligations lui incombant en vertu du schéma départamental prévu (...) relative à l accueil et à l habitat des gens du voyage ou qui n est pas inscrite à ce schéma, soit à tout autre propiétaire autre qu une commune, sans être en mesure de justifier de son autorisation ou de celle du titulaire du droit d usage du terrain, est puni de six mois d emprisonnement et de euros d amende», «Lorsque l installation s est faite au moyen de véhicules destinés à l habitation, en vue de leur confiscation par la juridiction pénale et la suspension, pour une durée de trois ans au plus, du permis de conduire».[the act of gathering, for purposes of establishing a living space, even if temporary, in a terrain that supposedly belongs to the city, that conforms to the obligations according to the given department (...) with regards to refuge and domicile of Roma, or that is not referred to in this framework, whether it be any other proprietor other than the city, without being able to justify authorisation, as owner of the right to use the terrain, will be punished with six months of prison and euros fine... When one settles with a vehicle for living in, it is at risk of being confiscated by a penal jurisdiction and suspension of the driver's license for a term of three years or more.] 15

17 Economy 1) General level Access to a quality job In the second phase of the knowledge society (since 1995), the inclusion of the two vulnerable groups are possible through the access of these groups to a quality education and to the information and communication technologies. The beliefs that not everybody can go to university or not everyone is motivated is present in all the different social sectors. The elements that counter these beliefs, based on superstition are, among others, the rise of the number of students in higher education, the low unemployment rate in people who have a university degree in comparison to those who do not have one and the demands from the social movements for a quality education. In the fieldwork realised with workers, businessmen and educators, the workers highlighted the main role of the academic education for the access to the labour market. Appraisal of abilities and competences Contrasting to the belief that not everybody has the competences to realise all types of tasks and jobs, it has been scientifically proved that everybody has the language and action ability and competences (Habermas, 1987). Starting from this interpretation exclusionary stereotypes and tendencies like those described in the first part will be overcome. With all the abilities that every person possesses, the communicative skills which make it possible continually acquire new dexterities, the groups at risk of exclusion, like the ethnic minorities, can acquire the necessary competencies for today s society. Companies interest in workers training Some companies highlight the need for every worker to have training that is multifaceted. It is evident that competitiveness of companies in the Knowledge Society s does not mean a staff without training, but a staff in which the selection and processing of information is one of the main facets. In this way, some employers think that the training of all their workers is basic. Overcoming of sexist and ageist barriers 16

18 There are elements that question the sexist and ageist barriers. There are many employers and workers that especially value women s work and their high level of responsibility in carrying out their tasks. In the case of older people, in opposition to the stereotypes that consider them less flexible and with more difficulties to recycle and adapt themselves to changes, the transformative dimension that arises is to value their experience as an important contribution to the company and take this as a point for new opportunities for learning. Obtaining credits for self-employability for those most in need As mentioned before, the vulnerable groups small purchasing power creates a cycle of exclusion from which it is difficult to get out, especially if they have concrete socio-economic conditions. Some social projects start from good practices, since they concede micro credits to make self-employability of the most excluded groups possible, helping them to overcome marginalisation in which they find themselves. 2) Particular to ethnic minorities and the Romani community: Elimination of occupational ghettos Labour insertion has to take into account the whole range of possibilities, so that people could have a proper job and avoid labour ghettos in the labour market depending on their ethnic origin. There is a need to overcome the current segmentation of the labour market due to cultural reasons and the need for ethnic minority groups to be able to access to all types of jobs and levels of responsibilities. Inclusion of ethnic minorities in the sector of the CIT and information management The appearance of Communication and Information Technologies (CIT) suppose an important change in relation to the industrial society related to work organisation and the appearance of new employment sites. Some authors make reference to the importance of the access to the CIT of vulnerable groups. The Roma community and some ethnic minorities are among these groups. This access is so important, since the persons who do not have this access could fall out of the society and find themselves in a social and labour break-even circle (Castells, 1997), (Elboj, Puigdellívol, Soler and Valls, 2002). Since the end of the 90 s, some politic institutions like the European Commission consider necessary to promote an information society, in which nobody could be excluded and social cohesion would be guaranteed (European Commission, 2000). 17

19 Labour anti-racism In some cases, from the employers viewpoint, there are also cases about the labour contracting in which there is no discrimination because of ethnic origin. These sorts of cases are normally related to the extinction of prejudices and to employer s previous experience with Roma person or other ethnic minorities. Among the workers there are also examples of this anti-racism in previous interactions with people belonging to minorities. These persons enhance their work predisposition and their efforts to demonstrate their abilities for the job. In many of these cases, the overcoming of the exclusive classification are a result of the interactions produced at different levels of intercultural socialising. Self-organisation and solidarity The self-organisation and solidarity among people belonging to ethnic minorities and the larger society favour the labour insertion. The family and friends circles are a support and a reference for the persons of these collectives. The absence of the capacity for choosing, brought on by a segmented labour market, is one of the aspects that influences in the maintenance of the daily relationships based on solidarity. 3)The specific level of other ethnic minorities: Nowadays the ethnic minorities of Arabic-Muslim and African origin are those that have most problems for the social inclusion. This fact exist because part of the access to the labour market depends on the recognition of the citizenship right and on the recognition of the degrees obtained in their country. Recognition of the citizenship rights Apart from the recognition of the basic rights of citizenship, turnout of voters, association and manifestation that make visible the problems and the situations of ethnic minorities in different countries of the European Union, this recognition is a key dimension for the access to the labour market, since the laws on aliens of most of the European countries do not allow to contract persons who are in an irregular situation. Recognition of degrees The most recent labour index in Manpower, carried out through a survey of the active population in the Encuesta de Población Activa (EPA) in the first term of 2003, shows that 29% of the immigrants have university degrees diploma or 18

20 bachelors degree 12. Depending on the person's origin, there will be more possibilities to obtain the degree's recognition. That is, a person of Maghrebi origin will have more difficulties to get a job and to get recognised his/her engineer degree than a German person. Through the degrees' recognition and the previous experience, independently of their ethnic origin, at an equalitarian level, the barriers that maintain one part of the population without the possibility of labour selection will be overcome. Policies Courses in job training for increasing possibilities for labour insertion and facing social inequalities. In some people's discourse that speaks of Roma's and different ethnic minorities job satisfaction with regards to the work they carry out, they ignore that these groups have not had the opportunity to choose between the various job options in accordance with their professional and educational experience. In this sense, the realisation of job training courses that increase the possibilities for labour insertion for people who are employed as well as unemployed can help address social inequalities and help to secure the social mobility of these collectives. This can only happen if they have full access to spectrum of offers and are not concentrated into those with an assistential character, as is the case on many occasions. In this way, carrying out quality job training makes it possible to overcome the obstacles that condemn people on a whole, and more concretly ethnic minorities to low quality jobs. Recognition and inclusion of the different voices in public policies Today it is necessary to recognise the cultural and ethnic diversity of European society so that it can have an inclusive character, in which social cohesion can be assured. This process of recognition has three main aspects that must be taken into account in order to overcome exclusionary paths: a) The recognition of different ethnic minorities in the European territories. This recognition has a fundamental role given that it provides minority groups with visibility; their presence is taken into account and their situation is taken on as a concern. One example of the recognition and concern for the situation of ethnic minorities is the recognition of the Romaní community as a people by the Catalonian Parliament. b) The elaboration of quality studies about the situation of minority groups that takes into account social utility. Certain studies are limited to describing the excluded situation of the Roma and ethnic minorities without 12 El Periodico de Catalunya. Ultimo indice de empleo Manpower. March 28,

21 proposing elements that can contribute to overcoming this situation. These studies can provide a basis on which political actions are carried out through inclusive policies that are scientifically founded. c) And finally, the participation of ethnic minorities through their associations in the entire process. Once the guidelines on which public policies are grounded are established, for these policies to have illocutionary effects of an inclusive nature, the voices of Roma and ethnic minorities must be taken into account through an egalitarian dialogue. Integral policies Overcoming inequalities cannot be attained with only assistential policies, it is necessary to look at the exclusion that the ethnic minorities, who face the highest levels of discrimination, through a more global perspective, taking into account the elaboration of educational, labour and family policies. Successful educational models Today, there are scientific models for success that are being developed in the United States and in certain points of Europe that overcome educational discrimination on the basis of ethnic origin. This is the case of Learning Communities, a project that is based on the participation of the whole community, including ethnic minorities, in the education of the youngest providing them with meaning and the possibility to have good academic results at the same time as having a respectful and culturally diverse coexistence. 20

22 Culture Cultural Intelligence In addition to the fact that everyone has the capacity for language and action we also have the competencies that we develop in the context and the social opportunities that are offered to us. The generalisation, on a European level, of recognising cultural intelligence is a dimension that helps to overcome social inequalities. These good practices are being developed in France, Finland and the United Kingdom. In the fieldwork we observed that although companies demand prior training, there is a valuation of practical and cooperative skills. Ethnic minorities, among them the Romaní community, can benefit from these policies, given their life experience that are not being recognised. Positive values and traditions The dissemination of positive traditions and values from the different cultures contributes to changing the typifications about them. This dissemination must be carried out in different spaces: within the communities, in spaces for intercultural coexistence, the media and the work and politico-adminstrative spheres. Community associations and those who fight for equality among all cultures play an important role in this dissemination and recognition. Dynamism of minority cultures In the same sense, through intercultural relations the different cultures demonstrate the "other cultures" are also dynamic, just like the hegemonic culture. This dimension contributes to overcoming stereotypes like, for example, the role of women in the Romaní community or in the Arab-Muslim community. Knowing the other: breaking stereotypes In accordance with the two previous points, when people from different cultures interact on equal terms, they overcome stereotypes that are identified with certain minority groups, linked more than anything to superstition and physical appearance. Altas expectativas igualdad de resultados - Substituting low expectations and equal opportunities for high expectations and equal results implies immediate transformations. Educational projects that have carried these out, seek measure and methodologies that guarantee that everyone obtains the same results, which allows the to have equal conditions, regardless of cultural origin, at the end of the educational cycle. This means on an educational, labour, cultural and social level. 21

23 Societal Community Integrative role of institutions When political and economic institutions develop measures and practices based on the objective of equality and respect for difference, they promote values and norms for intercultural coexistence, interacting with the subjects, and therefore, providing new arguments to the social debate. Interaction that takes place in the societal community also relies on these arguments contributing new norms for intercultural respect. Equality of differences On the basis of the equality of differences the differences of cultures and collectives in our society are respected, simultaneously gaining egalitarian treatment for all. These deeds allow for more people in minority groups to access different professional profiles or social positions than they have traditionally occupied, in this way contributing to overcoming the stereotypes that weigh on every community. Intercultural coexistence and solidarity In the fieldwork there were interpretations made that take into account that society is advancing towards a dynamic interculturality, where cultures do not remain isolated and indifferent to each other, but instead they coexist and transform each other through interaction. This coexistence between genders and cultures does not provoke conflict or discrimination, if it is based on principles of equality and tolerance to different cultural practices. Egalitarian dialogue When we have an egalitarian dialogue and use illocutionary language many of the barriers we have addressed are broken, given that everyone participates in decision making about issues that affect them. Also the agreements that they reach are based on everyone's recognition and commitment to all of the voices. 22

24 Conclusion We see through the comparative study that ethnic minorities face discrimination, but also that in the four subsystems there are dimensions that are transforming this situation. In the subsystem of the economy, we have been able to verify how there are antiracist positions that can be fostered with inclusive practices on the part of companies and economic institutions. In line with this, it is necessary to open new avenues for creating new companies through financial formulas. Both aspects can contribute to accessing new profiles and new responsibilities in the labour sphere. Similarly, there are transformative dimensions with respect to training, which are seen as key and which must be based on prior skills in order to reach all forms of knowledge, so as to increase the people's autonomy: ICTs, a broad basic education, managing and processing information. Lastly, in the case of immigrants we have identified the need to validate degrees and recognise citisenship rights. In the political sphere, a key aspect is the representation of all of the different voices on all decision making and management levels. From the faculty of a school, to the decision making organs in charge of designing the general policies that directly or indirectly affect minorities must rely on their presence. But this presence cannot be limited to a mere opinion that is taken into account, there must be consensus among all of the groups. When these situations occur, it results in successful educational projects, for girls and boys, adults and inclusive policies. Regarding culture, being able to develop policies for success and establishing an inclusive economy means overcoming exclusionary typifications that exist about different cultures. This is only possible if all cultures are seen as equal and dynamic and if their traditions and values are recognised as positive. In the same sense, concepts such as cultural intelligence serve to help value eveyone's abilities, which favours a change in expectations both in the work world and the educational system. Experiences where these aspects are taken into account change the perspective towards the "other". Lastly, the societal community fulfills its role of creating social cohesion if it parts from the concept of the equality of differences, that is to say, the equal respect for all cultures without their members having to renounce egalitarian conditions in society. In order to attain this it is necessary for the norms of the community to arise from an egalitarian dialogue, which is further fostered if other subsystems develop integrative practices, that are respectful with different cultures and egalitarian. 23