THE NETHERLANDS: A RELUCTANT COUNTRYOF IMMIGRATION

摘要

The Netherlands has de facto always been a country of immigration. Yet, it does not consider itselfas such. One out of five inhabitants in the Netherland has an immigrant background or has beenborn in a family in which one of the parents is an immigrant. Yet, large numbers of indigenousDutch find it hard to acknowledge this fact. Likewise, the reception of newcomers has been ratherawkward and sometimes in contradiction with the widely celebrated image of the Netherlands asthe heartland of tolerance and multiculturalism. Also, many complaints can be heard about thesupposedly 'tardy' progress of immigrants' incorporation. This paper, providing an overview ofimmigration into the Netherlands, suggests that immigration is always a painful process, but alsothat immigrants eventually find their way into the mainstream.