What can volunteer practices in civic participation across the nonprofit sector teach us about strengthening state and local processes that support the integration of new minorities? Anti-integration of new minorities and anti-migrant sentiment are on the rise. The integration of new minorities has become increasingly securitised, with migration and concerns about migrants’ willingness to integrate remaining highly politicised within the European Union (EU). Yet integration is often misunderstood, and understanding it remains a challenge in European society. A recent Special Eurobarometer survey across all 27 Member States found that 53% of Europeans consider integration a high priority, 62% feel poorly informed about migration and integration, and almost half believe that integration in their country is failing. In this paper, I address this space of understanding by developing a conceptual framework that examines the relationship among minority rights, securitisation, and the lived experiences of integration among new minorities within the EU. I then introduce civic volunteerism as a proposed methodological entry point for studying integration at the local level. Drawing on the literature on community building and volunteerism, I consider what we can learn from volunteer practices across the nonprofit sector, including organisations whose primary missions have little or no direct connection to integration processes. Cross-sector and multi-city research can help identify grassroots practices that foster belonging, engagement, and participation in community life, including what might be understood as an impulse to volunteer. I examine the relevance of these practices to organisations working more directly with new minorities, seeking to develop new approaches, scientific knowledge, and tools to enhance integration outcomes. Those same 53% of Europeans who consider integration a high priority also believe it is not among their national government’s top priorities. By situating integration within a broader discussion of belonging, identity, and political participation, I seek to develop a more inclusive understanding of integration and identify new avenues for empirical research and practice.
