Analysis of the new wave of immigration in the world

**Factors Contributing to the Spread of Nationalism in Europe and Its Consequences for Muslim Immigrants: Along with Ideas for Addressing It**

*By Dr. Reza Gholami*

Professor of Political Philosophy, Cultural and Civilizational Studies

It is evident that a level of nationalist and quasi-racist tendencies is on the rise in Europe, which could have dangerous consequences for both Europe and the entire world. Here, I intend to focus specifically on the consequences of the spread of nationalism in the context of immigration, which lies at the heart of nationalists’ objections. It is important to note, however, that not everyone who opposes immigration in Europe is racist, and it would be wrong to label them as such. Someone may not necessarily be a nationalist yet still be critical of their country’s immigration policies; this is entirely acceptable, as the right to protest on any issue exists for the citizens of a free and democratic country.

Nonetheless, the expansion of nationalism primarily poses risks for non-European races, especially Muslim immigrants. While it would be naive to think that nationalist tendencies could become the dominant force throughout the West, particularly in Europe, ignoring this phenomenon, whether by Westerners or Muslims, is neither realistic nor rational.

In this article, I aim to answer a few specific questions. But before addressing them, it’s worth stating that the phenomenon of accepting immigrants has brought numerous benefits to Western countries over the past decades, alongside the problems it has caused. Fundamentally, Westerners do not undertake actions against their own interests. It seems that immigration has brought at least five major benefits to European and North American countries, which I will outline below:

1. 1. Filling real gaps in the workforce, particularly in service sectors, given the reluctance of young people in some Western countries to take on certain service jobs or the aging population issue facing some Western nations.
   2. Attracting talents and elites from other countries and utilizing them for the continued development of Western countries.
   3. Leveraging immigrants to indirectly influence target countries in cultural, political, and economic matters.
   4. Gaining considerable financial resources transferred by at least half of the immigrants to the Western countries, which is then invested in these countries’ development.
   5. Promoting and demonstrating freedom, secularism, pluralism, and tolerance in various spheres in the West.

After this brief introduction, the first question is: what factors have led to a significant increase in migration to developed European and North American countries in recent decades? The following seem to be the most significant factors contributing to the rise of migration:

1. 1. The slow pace of development in developing countries or the transformation of underdeveloped countries into developing ones (new technologies have accelerated progress in Europe and North America significantly).
   2. The emergence of wars and violent conflicts in various parts of the world in recent decades.
   3. The continued existence of totalitarian governments globally and the denial of basic freedoms by these governments.
   4. Widespread injustice in many parts of the world and the inability to actualize talents in these regions, especially in the fields of science and technology.
   5. The full exposure of the gap in living standards and well-being between European and American citizens and others worldwide, facilitated by the expansion of information and communication technologies.
   6. The exaggerated portrayal by Western cinema and advertising companies of life in Europe and America, indirectly encouraging people worldwide to migrate to developed Western countries.

The next question is: what factors have contributed to the rise of nationalism in the West? From a broad perspective, the following factors, either individually or collectively, have played a role in the spread of nationalism, particularly in European countries:

1. 1. The emergence of cultural conflicts.
   2. Misunderstandings between immigrant groups and European youth.
   3. Targeted media campaigns, particularly anti-Islamic ones, against immigrants and the entry of non-European races into Europe.
   4. Reduced job opportunities for European youth.
   5. The dominance of immigrant populations over native ones.
   6. A significant portion of European taxpayers’ money being spent on services for immigrants.
   7. The intangible benefits of attracting immigrants in European countries.
   8. The perceived decline in security for Europeans.
   9. The perception that some countries lack clear objectives for accepting immigrants.
   10. A sense of identity loss and the resulting frustration among European youth.
   11. The gradual shift from tolerant secularism to radical, combative secularism in the West, influenced by the strengthening presence of the “other” within Europe and America (the “other” here could refer to Muslims).

These eleven factors are the most significant, and paying close attention to them can be highly effective in fostering realism in confronting racism.

It seems that the growth of nationalism is not only directed at non-European races, but European governments are also well aware that nationalism, especially in its extreme form, will bring significant harm and destruction to them. Suppressing nationalist youth by European governments is neither right nor useful; the important thing is for European and American leaders, with the help of intellectual and elite groups, to confront this phenomenon and prevent nationalism from becoming a source of insecurity and destruction.

But another aspect of this discussion concerns non-European races, particularly Muslims. The key question here is: how should Muslims respond to this phenomenon? The following are some ideas for consideration:

1. 1. Expanding cultural dialogues to resolve misunderstandings.
   2. Constantly reminding European citizens of the value of freedom and human rights in Europe.
   3. More prominently demonstrating Muslims’ commitment to lawfulness.
   4. Strengthening influential Islamic authorities in the West to guide Muslims in a suitable direction and educate them on how to reasonably engage with people of other cultures and religions.
   5. Engaging with European citizens and avoiding the creation of isolated communities within Europe.
   6. Practicing moderation in Islamic demonstrations and avoiding unnatural and provocative displays of Islamic symbols in European cities.
   7. Encouraging Muslim elites to participate in European traditional and religious ceremonies and sincerely honoring Europe’s positive heritage.
   8. Islamic scholars and influential groups preventing the rise of Islamic extremism in Europe and dissociating from such groups (one indicator of extremist groups is their tendency to declare others as infidels).
   9. Investing intelligently to rebuild the image imposed on Muslims after September 11, 2001.

On the other hand, the same question arises about the necessary actions Western governments should take. Specifically, what should Western countries do to curb extreme nationalism against immigrants, including Muslim immigrants? The following ideas seem worthy of consideration:

1. 1. Helping to bridge the gap between wealth and poverty globally and halting the wave of migration to Western countries.
   2. Increasing cooperation with migrant-sending countries to control migration and prevent inhumane practices such as human trafficking.
   3. Strengthening the influential institutions of large immigrant groups, such as Muslims, to guide them appropriately according to reasonable conditions in Western countries.
   4. More broadly promoting the culture of freedom, democracy, pluralism, and tolerance among the new generations of youth in Western countries.
   5. Limiting anti-Islamic and extremist groups in Western countries from presenting a distorted image of Muslims, with the aim of spreading Islamophobia and inciting youth against Muslim immigrants, thereby escalating tensions and violence.
   6. Acknowledging the benefits of accepting immigrants, both Muslims and non-Muslims, for Western countries, particularly in terms of economic and cultural contributions to the Western populace, especially its youth.

Clearly, studying this phenomenon in Europe is not an easy task, and it requires thorough field research by scholars familiar with European conditions. What has been presented in this article is considered a scientific introduction to the topic.