Entre post-nationalisme et neo-institutionnalisme: La structuration des debats publics en Suisse dans le domaine de l'immigration et des relations ethniques

In: Swiss political science review: SPSR = Schweizerische Zeitschrift für Politikwissenschaft = Revue suisse de science politique, Band 8, Heft 2, S. 21-52

Abstract

This article attempts to assess the relevance of postnationalist & neoinstitutionalist theories to explain the structuring of public debates on immigration & ethnic relations in Switzerland. To escape the contradictory debate existing between proponents of these two theoretical perspectives, but above all to improve our knowledge of processes of globalization & of resistance by nation-states in the field of migrations, we propose a systematic analysis of 1980s public debates in this field. This allows us to assess the impact of external pressures & of national traditions on the treatment of migration issues. Our analysis unveils three changes that may attest to the impact of transnationalization of migration issues on national states. (1) An important growth of debates on issues concerning the integration of immigrants took place, especially in the field of the fight against discriminations. (2) There was a more active participation of immigrants in the national public debates. (3) Variations in the activity of the extreme right & the Swiss People's Party occurred & more precisely a growth of the latter. In particular, the introduction of the law against racism provided a window of opportunities for the Swiss political actors. Thus, within the constraining framework represented by the nation-state, which yields political resources & a structure of legitimacy for the intervention of political actors in the field of immigration & ethnic relations, transnational forces are a source of variations & changes that should not be overlooked. In particular, the introduction of a transnational antidiscrimination norm provides other types of political resources & another structure of legitimacy. Finally, our analysis suggests that the development of personhood rights at the supranational level can be a source of change that yields new models & new scripts for the action of national actors. 4 Tables, 2 Graphs, 41 References. Adapted from the source document.