Tony Bennett, Differing diversities - Council of Europe

Transversal study on the theme of cultural policy and cultural diversityGovernmental and constitutional provision for diversityThe principles of plurilingualism have a long-established place in the Swiss constitutionand system of government. The conception of Switzerland as a confederationof twenty-six sovereign states, the cantons, including approximately 3 000communities which also enjoy considerable autonomy, has meant that it has functionedas an association of relatively independent political communities withoutseeking to impose a higher order on these or to develop a common culture betweenthem. While the confederation has played an important role in enshrining the principlesof plurilingualism within the constitution, the implementation of these islargely a matter for each canton and community to determine. The most recentcodification of plurilingualism is embodied in the new constitution, which cameinto force on 1 January 2000, obliging both the confederation and the cantons totake measures to preserve the quadrilingualism of Switzerland. This constitutionalprovision is backed up by a series of legal instruments enjoining appropriate useof all national languages in official publications, in schools, and in the transmissionsof the Swiss Radio and Television Company. These strongly entrenchedautochthonous rights to diversity are not matched by any equivalent cultural orcivic entitlements for Switzerland’s immigrant communities. The classification ofimmigrants as foreigners indicates that they do not have full citizenship rights ineither the cultural or political spheres, although recent provisions in Neuchatel andJura extend these rights significantly. While naturalisation is possible, the conditionsthat must be satisfied discourage many immigrants from applying for citizenshipwith the result that the status of foreigner is often transmitted to secondand third generation immigrants. While the principles of quadrilingualism weredeveloped over several generations, current Swiss perceptions are that these cannotsimply be adapted to address the problems created by post-war immigration.Here new approaches to questions of political citizenship are needed.Cultural policy and cultural diversityThe primary responsibility for cultural policy rests at the communal and cantonallevels, accounting for 53% and 38% respectively of 1989 cultural expenditures bypublic authorities, with the confederation contributing only 9% of such expenditure,mainly on projects of national importance or on diplomatic relations withother countries. The communal and cantonal administrations account for most ofthe libraries, museums, theatres, concert halls and heritage sites in Switzerland,and apply to these the principles of quadrilingualism as required by the confederationconstitution and legislation. No similar requirements are placed on theseadministrations or the cultural institutions they are responsible for to cater to, orreflect, the cultural diversity of Switzerland’s immigrant communities. Indeed, thishas not, historically, been a significant priority of Swiss cultural policies.Operating on the assumption that most immigrants – whether refugees or economicmigrants – would eventually return to their countries of origin or seek naturalisation,the dominant orientation of policies directed toward immigrants hasbeen to provide for their integration into Swiss society through language and educationprogrammes. These policies have recently been complemented by41