Abstract

Current debates emphasizing the need for immigrants to integrate into the culture and norms in The Netherlands have assumed centre-stage in politics and policy deliberations. Such discussions take place in a context dominated by market-oriented reforms minimizing the role of the government in solving the “problems” and promoting the ideology that it is largely up to the individual (immigrant) to ensure that s/he is productively employed in society. Under these circumstances and aggravated by increasing structural unemployment, immigrant entrepreneurship has increasingly been viewed an important way of meeting the needs of both the government and the immigrants. This seminar deals with how immigrants in The Hague have responded to these pressures.

Research on immigrant entrepreneurship has long been dominated by cultural anthropologists and sociologists, addressing, to a large extent, the ethno-cultural resources and how they interact/respond to the market. Less attention has conventionally been given to policies, business conditions, changes in economic structure, technology, diaspora and international relations that also influence immigrant entrepreneurship. This seminar contextualizes the experiences of immigrant entrepreneurship within this broader perspective. It provides theoretical insights as well as evaluates policies that have influenced the emergence and development of immigrant entrepreneurship in the Netherlands and The Hague. It deals with the policy measures that government authorities - particularly those associated with the Municipality of The Hague – have taken since 1995 to stimulate the economic climate and economic participation, in the field of (immigrant) entrepreneurship. It looks at the assumptions and expectations underlying these policies, and how to measure the results and outcomes with regard to immigrant entrepreneurship. The seminar suggests that an economic-welfare reasoning perspective is more appropriate than the social-structural reasoning in promoting immigrant entrepreneurship. It also considers some alternatives that have been proposed in the policy in order to achieve better policy results.

Surrendra Santokhi (1960) holds Master degrees in Economic and Social History (University of Utrecht) and Business Administration (International Management Centres UK). In 2011 he received his PhD in Social Science at the University of Amsterdam.

Currently he is affiliated to the Municipality of The Hague as Senior Manager Citizenship.

References

Santokhi S. (2010) Immigrantenondernemerschap in Den Haag. Beleid en praktijk. (“Immigrant Entrepreneurship in The Hague: Policy and Practice). Den Haag: Multimedia. Dissertatie (PhD Thesis).