Introduction

Early 2000. Under the auspices of ‘autochthonous’ men’s ‘multiculturism and its discontents’, a new year and new century are ushered in. On 29 January, a full-page essay appeared in the Dutch daily newspaper NRC Handelsblad. Paul Scheffer (2000) sounded the alarm with the headline ‘Het multiculturele drama’ (‘The Multicultural Drama’): ‘Why do we think we can afford to see generations of immigrants fail, and to let a presumed reservoir of talent go unused?’ He characterises current policy as one in which too many migrants and refugees are admitted, and one of failed integration. While Scheffer is ostensibly concerned with the position of ethnic minorities, between the lines there is great concern about the ‘decline’ of Dutch culture: ‘Under the surface of public life floats a sea of stories about the clash of cultures, which are hardly heard, if at all. […] Let’s start taking Dutch language, culture, and history more seriously.’ After all, this is a serious matter, namely ‘the defence of an open society. Which puts limits on cultural multiplicity.’ Paul Schnabel, sociologist and director of the Netherlands Institute for Social Research (Sociaal en Cultureel Planbureau, SCP), followed in February with even bolder statements. In his essay ‘De multiculturele illusie’ (‘The Multicultural Illusion’), he leaves no room for misunderstanding that the Netherlands is not and should not become a multicultural society. According to Schnabel, the Dutch taking on any elements from ‘immigrant cultures’ is out of the question since the newcomers simply ‘are not holders of large cultural capitals, who have come here to spread their cultural riches’ (Schnabel 2000).