Cultural Policies for migrant inclusion: a survey

Integration of migrants is a priority in destination countries, but high unemployment and low wages and a strong segmentation still dominate the picture. The linguistic distance and the cultural distance are at the basis of the lack of soft skills which limit their inclusion. Cultural policies which have been considered redundant, are instead a priority for their positive effects on individuals and, in particular, on the foreigners. The present survey reviews the extensive research in the field using choir participation as pivotal activity. The results are measured with physiological and psychological indicators to understand the increase in self-esteem, self-efficacy and social inclusion which are needed for migrants to grasp the social capital of destination countries needed for integration. Even if the empirical studies are not scientifically convincing, i.e. small samples, no randomization, the numerosity and variety persuades about the positive effect.