Regarding social integration, the article will explore the participants' perceptions regarding their status in Greek society, their access to employment, their educational experiences, their feelings of belonging, their relationship with the native population and possible racist attitudes. or discriminatory behavior towards them. The findings from the interview data suggest that the vast majority of participants feel that their group has a high or above-average social status in Greece and that they feel integrated into Greek society. Finally, all participants generally have a positive attitude towards both the Greek and Arabic languages, and the majority consider both languages to be equally important and attribute practical and symbolic value to each language.
INTRODUCTION
Immigration to Greece
This paper is about the first group of immigrants who have established a long-term presence in the country, and more specifically about immigrants originating from Arabic-speaking countries. As for Greece, there is a growing Arab immigrant population that includes people from Arabic-speaking countries such as Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Iraq and Jordan. Most Arabic-speaking immigrants reside in the capital of Greece, Athens, or other large Greek cities, such as Thessaloniki (Antoniou, 2003; . Triandafyllidou & Kouki, 2013).
Purpose and Importance of the Research
The purpose of the study was briefly outlined in the introductory chapter of the paper. In the second chapter, the literature review will be discussed, which includes the definition of key concepts such as social and linguistic integration and the investigation of issues related to the integration of Arabs and Muslims in Western countries and in Greece. In the fourth chapter, the results will be presented in detail, which include the interview data, while in the fifth chapter, the research findings will be discussed and analyzed.
LITERATURE REVIEW
The concept of integration
- Social Integration
- Linguistic Integration
Structural integration refers to the acquisition of rights and access to positions in the core institutions of the host society. Cultural integration refers to the acquisition of core competencies in the host country's culture and society. And finally, identification integration refers to the development of feelings of belonging to the host society.
Issues of Integration of Arab and Muslim immigrants in Western Countries and
- Integration of Arab and Muslim immigrants in Western countries
- Arabic speakers and Muslims in Greece
- Second generation Arabic speaking immigrants
The category 'second generation' was first used in the 1970s in connection with the precarious situation of immigrant children in the host country and their lack of integration. As mentioned in the introduction, the term second generation in this article refers to the children of the first immigrants who were born or raised in the host country by one or more immigrant parents. In the following paragraphs, this article will attempt to shed some light on issues related to the social and linguistic integration of this group within the Greek context.
METHODOLOGY
- Theoretical Framework
- Objectives of the Research
- Research Questions
- Tools of data collection
- Data Analysis
- The Sample
- Validity and Reliability of the Research
As Crouch and McKenzie (2006) have noted, in-depth interviews are an important tool for a better understanding of the participants' interpretation of their experience. The first part of the interview examined the participants' social integration, while the second part examined their linguistic integration. For this reason, the skype application was used to conduct the interviews with some of the participants.
The interviews lasted an average of 30 to 45 minutes and the results collected were used in the data analysis of the study. The interviews were conducted in Greek and were audio recorded with the permission of the participants. The research sample consists of eight (8) second-generation immigrants from Arabic-speaking countries including Egypt, Jordan, Syria, and Tunisia.
Both male and female participants were included in the study, and more specifically, three of the participants are female and five are male. Most of the participants live in Athens, with the exception of two respondents who live in the third largest city of Greece, Patra. The demographic data of the participants includes the following variables which are presented in Table 1.
The only source of data collection for the current study is interviews as it was not possible, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, to conduct participant observations.
RESULTS
Interview Data on Social Integration
- Arabic immigrants’ perceptions of their social status in Greece
- Access to employment
- Experiences from the educational system
- Feelings of belonging to the Greek culture
- Relationships with the native population
- Racist attitudes and discrimination
Many people are impressed by the fact that I speak Arabic and consider it an asset (Appendix C, p. 69). However, I remember encountering some difficulties when I was in high school because I felt I had to prove myself to be accepted (Appendix C, p. 76). For example, I remember that during Ramadan they avoided eating or drinking in front of me (Appendix C, p. 69).
I identify with Greek culture and I think that Greek and Arab cultures have a lot in common (Appendix C, p. 64). I grew up here, my whole life is here and everything important to me is here (Appendix C, p. 62). I think I am fully integrated into the Greek way of life, but I feel more Arab (Appendix C, p. 64).
I think Arabs think differently and that I have lost some parts of the Arab culture and way of life after so many years in Greece (Appendix C, p. 72). I am a citizen of the world and I belong to the world and not to a particular country or place (Appendix C, p. 67). My mother is also Greek and many of my first degree relatives are, so my relationship is very close indeed (Appendix C, p. 62).
But now, as an adult, I feel that I am accepted by everyone and I do not face any racial behavior (Appendix C, p. 77).
Interview Data on Linguistic Integration
- Language use and language choices
- Self-assessments of language competence in Arabic and Greek
- Language attitudes towards Arabic and Greek
With my sister I speak both Arabic and Greek and with my friends and at work I only speak Greek (Appendix C, p. 69). I consider Arabic my mother tongue because it is the language of my family, but I believe my proficiency is equal in both languages (Appendix C, p. 67). Arabic is also the language of my family and relatives in Egypt and it connects me to my roots (Appendix C, p. 70).
I believe that Arabic is a very beautiful and impressive language which is associated with a very important and unique civilization (Appendix C, p. 67). Arabic is a unique language and it is associated with a great history and an important religion (Appendix C, p. 70). This language is very important to me for communicative purposes, for my work, for everything (Appendix C, p. 60).
The Greek language is also very important to me, because it is related to my life here, my wife and my work (Appendix C, p. 65). It is a very important part of me because it is the language that connects me to my friends and other important people in my life (Appendix C, p. 73). The Greek language is also unique and associated with the ancient Greeks who achieved so many great things (Appendix C, p. 70).
I feel that I identify with the Greek language and culture because my thoughts are in Greek (Appendix C, p. 73).
DISCUSSION
- Interpretation of the results on social integration
- Interpretation of the results on linguistic integration
- The role of the different variables among participants
- Limitations
- Further Research
The findings show that the overwhelming majority of Arabic-speaking immigrants in the sample believe that their group has a high or above-average social status in Greece and that they feel integrated into Greek society. Also, the findings are consistent with Liebert et al.'s (2020) suggestion that one of the factors facilitating integration is access to equal employment opportunities. None of the participants reported racist incidents in other public domains or at other social occasions.
However, the results of this study indicated that the racist incidents that have been reported have not negatively affected and are not associated with Arabic speakers' language attitudes and identification with Greek culture. It was also observed that none of the racist incidents mentioned by the participants were directly linked to religious discrimination and Islamophobia. According to Algan et al. 2012), a higher propensity to speak the majority language is one of the most common and universal features of immigrant integration.
Moreover, the Arabic-speaking immigrants' language proficiency in Arabic and Greek, as self-reported through interviews, reveals that most participants have developed their skills equally in both languages. Furthermore, most participants expressed very positive attitudes towards both preserving their heritage language and improving their Greek language skills. In addition to the fact that the number of participants does not allow the researcher to make generalizations, there are additional limitations to consider which will be discussed in more detail below.
As a result, subjective attitudes can only be partially related to the actual objective behavior of the participants.
CONCLUSION
Do you think that your Arab origin has affected your access to work (either in a positive or a negative way). On what occasions do you use Arabic and on what occasions do you use Greek. And do you think that your Arab origin has affected your access to work, either in a positive or a negative way.
Now the last question about social integration: do you feel more Greek, Arab or both? The last question of the first part: do you feel more Greek, Arabic or both? Can you now give me your opinion on your overall status within Greek society?
And do you think your Arab background has influenced your approach to employment from your experience so far, either positively or negatively. Now, can you tell me what you think of your general status within Greek society. First, in what cases do you use Arabic and in what cases do you use Greek.
Do you believe that your Syrian origin has affected your access to work in any way, either in a positive or a negative way. So the first one is on what occasions do you use Arabic and on what occasions do you use Greek. And do you believe that your Syrian origin has affected your access to work at all, either in a positive or a negative way.