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Encyclopedia of Migration pp 1–8Cite as

Migration, Diversity, and the Welfare State

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One of the most compelling challenges facing western democracies is how to maintain and strengthen the bonds of community in ethnically diverse societies. How can we reconcile growing levels of migration and multicultural diversity with the sense of a common identity and mutual support which underpins generous welfare states? In recent decades, a growing number of analysts argue that migration and growing ethnic diversity erode trust and a sense of community among citizens and that contemporary democracies face a trade-off between the accommodation of ethnic diversity on the one hand and support for redistribution on the other. This concern has been labeled the “progressive’s dilemma” (Goodhart 2004), which holds that reformist forces face a tough choice between pursuing greater redistribution or supporting a more diverse, multicultural society.

If these trade-offs are real, the welfare state is in considerable trouble. Migration is a reality in virtually all western...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Policy Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada

    Keith G. Banting

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  1. Keith G. Banting
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Correspondence to Keith G. Banting .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Research on Immigration Population and Public Policy, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA

    Frank D. Bean

  2. School of Social Sciences, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, California, USA

    Susan K. Brown

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Banting, K.G. (2015). Migration, Diversity, and the Welfare State. In: Bean, F., Brown, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Migration. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6179-7_114-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-6179-7_114-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Online ISBN: 978-94-007-6179-7

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