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Seminar: In Denmark, Harsh New Laws for Immigrant “Ghettos”

Marcela Cancelado, Yolanda Marin, German David Nieto, Welton de Oliveira Rodrigues

English School of Canada

August 13, 2020

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In Denmark, Harsh New Laws for Immigrant “Ghettos”

Main Idea: The author shows the situation about the immigrants in Denmark specifically of

the Muslim community. The government separate them in special neighborhoods bad-called

“Ghettos” and try to incorporate new laws for immigrants to become in real Danish.

Summary of Key Ideas:

 Denmark’s government is introducing a new set of laws to regulate life in 25 low-

income and heavily Muslim enclaves.

 For decades, integrating immigrants has posed a thorny challenge to the Danish

model, intended to serve a small, homogeneous population.

 Denmark Prime Minister warned that ghettos can affect the country in terms of

security.

 Justice minister, Soren Pape Poulsen, support that the new laws promoted to control

immigrants’ integration in Denmark, will affect only the ones who break the law.

 Dane now is dangerously desensitized and does not care about the negative

connotations of the word ghetto. Yildiz Akdogan.

 For people who are in ghettos, they feel that is unfair, they are not treated as equal

people. Barwaqo Jama Hussein.

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Critique 1: In Denmark, immigrants have a difficult situation because of the harsh laws that

political parties are promoting. The article presents several different opinions about the new

laws aimed at immigrants in Denmark, however, it does not present scientific studies that

offer any more reliable support on the impacts and effects of these laws on immigrants.

Key Ideas from Critique 1:

 Denmark is determined to voluntarily or forcibly integrate Muslim immigrants into its

culture and idiosyncrasies.

 Some of the penalties for immigrants who break Danish laws will be 4 years in prison

if they decide to send their children on re-education trips to Muslim countries.

Opinions of each one Critique 1:

 By imposing specific segregation laws and rules, the Danes clearly demonstrate

xenophobia against immigrants. In addition to social exclusion, these laws also

reinforce the unfair feeling of immigrants.

 Immigrants integration has economic and social benefits not only for immigrant but

for the society that is receiving them and the local government.

 The government to strengthen the laws for Ghettos with the only aim to end these

gangs and thus ensure that crime and illegality does not spread throughout whole

country and become stronger. This is totally reasonable and necessary to maintain

national stability.

 Cultural clashes between the Danes and the especially Muslim immigrant population

have led to extreme security measures against them. The Danes have widespread

inappropriate behavior by Muslim minorities and have been intolerant of ethnic and

religious diversity.
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Critique 2: Danish consider that their culture is an established culture, that they are going to

protect, and immigrants should adapt their behavior to their country.

Key Ideas from Critique 2:

 Yeldiz Actogan, a socio-democrat, pointed out that Danish society is no longer aware

of the negative connotation of the word ghetto.

 The majority of Danes consider that Muslim immigrants do not want to work but live

at the expense of the system, therefore they must adapt to the rules.

Opinions of each one Critique 2:

 These laws in Denmark reveals common unpreparedness of this small nation that is

still unable to cope with immigration. As long as the Danes remain conservative in

their culture and customs, immigration will have no room to solidify in Denmark.

 Right parties are taking advantage of the fact that issues related with immigrants are

the focus of media, and are promoting in the population aversion to these

communities to obtain votes.

 It is essential to work on the creation of flexible programs and laws that encourage

equality and equity in the population, but being clear that a minimum of requirements

must be met in order to access the benefits as all Western models do.

 The Danish government has felt its culture and norms threatened by the cultural and

religious influence of other cultures. They can use the Canadian model of migratory

integration because include its immigrants and ask them to advance with points in

better positions, respecting their traditions but encouraging them to integrate values,

such as language and respect for women.

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