Professor Putnam: The pros and cons of immigration
Channel: Aarhus Universitet
Date: 2014-02-14

Robert D. Putnam from Harvard University is the new Distinguished Visiting Professor of Aarhus University. He is author of the bestselling book "Bowling Alone" and the leading authority on social capital. He believes that diversity is the key challenge of the 21st century. The best way to meet this challenge is to create "a new us"; a new national identity rooted in shared civic engagement -- not to make the immigrants "like us" as many European countries try to do today. Societies that manage immigration effectively will be the winners of the 21st century. According the Putnam, a multinational country like the US has a great advantage as opposed to a homogenetic country like Japan.