Language instruction as integration policy for ethnic minorities in the UK and Germany

This article contrasts two within-the-case comparisons of political decisions concerning the educational ‘integration’ of minority ethnic pupils through language instruction in Germany and the UK. Comparing the two main traditional German approaches to the flexible and pragmatic British incrementalism, it describes how PISA-I has failed to act as a window of opportunity to counter structural-institutional stickiness but instead strengthened path dependence on the political decision-making level.

The text was published in Czech at www.migraceonline.cz. The English version can be requested from the author at: almuth.wietholtz [at] some.ox.ac.uk.

The author gives lectures and seminars on German culture and society at Jesus College Oxford and is writing her PhD on a comparison of integration/education policies for migrants in the UK and Germany. She can be contacted at almuth.wietholtz [at] some.ox.ac.uk