Which migrants assimilate best? How do we know?

We previously blogged about the French decision barring citizenship to a Moroccan immigrant woman. The court refused citizenship to a woman immigrant from Morocco, who has lived in France for eight years with a French husband, has three French children and speaks fluent French, was refused citizenship recently on grounds of being insufficiently assimilated (as evidenced by wearing a veil). Laura Agustin, an anthropologist whose work we have previously posted on this blog, published an interesting piece on this case in the Guardian. e says

The conseil d’etat said Faiza Silmi’s way of life does not reflect “French values”, particularly the goal of gender equality. The judgment claims she lives in “total submission” to the men in her life because she wears the niqab, which covers all of the face except the eyes. The decision was approved by commentators from right, left and centre.

KJ