Intermarriage, language use and integration of migrants

Abstract

Integration of migrants and their descendants is a common concern among countries with a long history of immigration. In Australia, this found expression in restrictive immigration policies that limited the entry of non-Europeans until the 1940s. This was based on the strong belief that national unity and social cohesion were contingent on maintaining ethnic and racial homogeneity (Jupp, 2007; Markus et al., 2009). However, spurred by an expanding manufacturing sector in postwar years and concerns about national security, Australia opened its doors to migrants from Southern and Eastern Europe. This was followed in the 1970s by a large inflow of migrants from the Middle East, in particular fr..