Migrazione e integrazione Il nuovo paradigma dell’integrazione civica

This article addresses the issue of migrants integration and access to citizenship in some European countries. The first part provides a reconstruction of the cultural and political context which has favored the adoption by some European countries of the so-called «model of civic integration» of migrants. The second part illustrates the ongoing debate on the legitimacy of this model and of some practices and procedures it involves – i.e. language learning, compulsory attendance of courses, citizenship tests – from a liberal point of view. I will argue in favor of the following thesis: this model, under certain conditions, can be considered compatible with the principles of liberalism; it is to be considered reasonable with respect to the aim of defending (or creating) the conditions that make possible the proper functioning of a liberal and democratic society, although its effectiveness is still to be verified and proved.