History as Gatekeeper: The Role of State-Sponsored History in Civic Integration in the Low Countries

Abstract

Belgium and the Netherlands are prominent destinations for immigrants. Whereas policymakers before assumed migrants would eventually return to their countries of origin, both countries began around the turn of the century to acknowledge the permanence of migrant communities, prompting the development of civic integration policies. These policies, particularly in Flanders and the Netherlands, now require newcomers—especially non-EU+ migrants—to complete structured integration trajectories, including language instruction and social orientation. This article critically examines the civic integration frameworks in the Low Countries, identifying three key trends: the expansion of the target population, the increasing coerciveness of integration requirements, and the culturalization of citizenship through historical education. It argues that history has become a central tool in these programs, with governments explicitly curating historical narratives to be taught to newcomers. Civic integration courses thus function as sites of state-sponsored history, where the host society presents a selective self-image to the immigrant ‘Other.’ By analyzing the treatment of colonial history within these courses, the article reveals how integration policies reinforce a moral hierarchy between host society and newcomers. Rather than fostering inclusive citizenship, these practices often perpetuate a ‘we–they’ dichotomy.