Book club: The Good Immigrant

The Dutch population is growing mainly due to the arrival of immigrants, which is why immigration is an important issue in Groningen as well: almost a quarter of Groningen's population is made up of migrants. But what exactly makes someone a migrant? This group consists, on the one hand, of Dutch people who were themselves born abroad and have at least one parent who was born abroad, also known as “first generation Dutchman with a migration background”, and for people who were themselves born in the Netherlands and have at least one parent who was born abroad, or “second generation Dutchman with a migration background”. People with a migration background thus make up a large part of Groningen, which indicates the importance of having an ongoing social conversation on the subject.

In the last book club, we discussed the book “De Goede Immigrant: 23 Visies op Nederland”: a book full of stories about how migrants experience being “Dutch”. It poses a devilish dilemma with a burden not everyone can imagine: to which identity do you now belong? Some of the 23 immigrants who shared their stories felt like Dutch people, while others just could not feel at home and kept dreaming about their country of origin, or that of their (grand)parents. Some manage to adapt, but sometimes feel they lose their identity in the process. But on the other hand, do you have to adapt? Shouldn't both Dutch people without migration background and Dutch people with migration background make equal efforts to live together? And why is there talk of the “Good Immigrant” and not the “Good Dutchman”? These were questions that arose during conversations about the book. In any case, what became clear is that an identity is something you should be able to choose for yourself, something you are entitled to, and not something someone else can impose on you.

It is a book that at least gives valuable insight into what it is like to live in a country where you are still too often seen as “the Other”. For that reason alone, it is highly recommended: it breeds awareness about the mindset of immigrants, something that is important to keep in mind, because the barriers and scars they carry with them is something that is still not given enough attention and recognition. This is a shame, of course, because a more open attitude actually has so much to offer our society. Every culture, every story has something valuable you can learn from; it is precisely this attitude that offers us so many opportunities.

Written by Sophie Middelhuis