From migrants into Frenchmen: the republican model of linguistic integration reconsidered

Abstract Over the last two decades, European migration policies have increasingly mandated official language proficiency as a prerequisite for residency and citizenship. While ostensibly a functional tool for social participation, linguistic integration is heavily criticized by scholars for its normative ambiguity. The article focuses on the specific case of France, where language requirements are justified through the “republican model”. In this framework, political integration is the foundation of social cohesion; however, this approach often promotes a unitary culture and monolingualism as essential to the civic community. The author aims to challenge the coherence of the French institutional discourse by comparing it with the republican ideals found in political philosophy, particularly the work of Ronald Dworkin. Ultimately, the text argues that a true republican ideal should not demand linguistic homogenization. Instead, it should recognize linguistic diversity as a vital source of cultural reflexivity and a central component of the common life shared by citizens in modern and diverse democracies.