Samenvatting

The central question of this dissertation is what lessons can be learned from Surinam when it comes to the integration of immigrants. Surinam consists of five main population groups and to assess this process of integration this dissertation is structured by the following questions:
What is integration in relation to Surinam?
What is the history of immigration to Surinam?
How does the interaction on a cultural level influence
the integration process?
What is the influence of an ethnicity-oriented politics
on the integration process?

These questions cover the history of immigration to Surinam. Furthermore, the process of integration on a cultural and political level is discussed. Finally, integration in relation to Surinam is analyzed. Based on these chapters a couple of conclusions can be drawn. On a cultural level, the different population groups are united, but at the same time they preserve their own culture and traditions. This comes to light by means of the national public holidays, which are divided more or less equally among the different population groups. This is one factor on a cultural level, which makes Surinam an interesting example for other countries dealing with the process of integration. The second factor which makes Surinam an interesting study is that the interracial marriages have increased so rapidly.

On a political level, the interaction between the population groups is another story. In Surinam ethnicity defines politics and 'Apanjaht', the practice of voting for your own race, group is still practiced extensively. The integration that is so perceptible on a cultural level is however absent on a political level. Of course the cultural and political level that are discussed in this dissertation are interconnected. In politics change can be noticed, in especially the NDP, the political party of Desi Bouterse. He is the leader of one of the few political parties that actually campaigns successfully with the message that the NDP is the political party that can represent all ethnicities.

Finally in recent literature studies I found further support for the argument that at least on a cultural level, differences in culture are not the cause of conflicts, rather it can be the result of conflicts.