ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that the majority of obstacles to effective integration is linked to the fact that societal legitimacy' for immigrants is weak and would need to be addressed. Immigrants groups represent a microcosm or at least a partial cross section of the society from which they have originated. Immigrant groups are often referred to in terms of communities, for example, refugee communities, immigrant communities, and community organizations. The activity of publics constitutes engagement at the level of discourse within the public sphere of society. Civil society can be an elusive concept in its flexible and adaptable interpretations. Its initiatives have much potential in the settlement and integration field. International migration levels are expected to rise, even as there has been an overall decline in civic participation in general. Culture permeates the way we tend to think about and form understandings of migration, integration processes and immigrant groups.
