The Construction of Identity in the Context of Otherness. the Case of Moroccan Immigration in the Basque Country.

Until the early 1990s, immigration was not a major social reality in Spain. Since then, the arrival of immigrants has skyrocketed to such an extent that Spain has become a country of immigration. Among the main national origins is the Moroccan, with a growing presence in different autonomous communities such as the Basque Country. Unlike other national groups, this immigration is characterized by its cultural (Arab and Amazigh) and religious (Islam) singularity. In view of this social reality, this research aims to shed light on the processes of formation, construction and negotiation of the social identity of this immigrant diaspora. For this work, a qualitative methodological design is used, based on the use of in-depth interviews. The main results of the research are the following. Firstly, it has been observed that the construction of social identity is structured around the negotiation of identification between Moroccanness and Muslimness, although the way of interpreting both differs according to generation and gender. Secondly, identification with the country of residence, although positive in terms of coexistence, also reveals important differences according to generation and gender. Third, the experience of racism and discrimination is limited in this community. Fourthly, in the Moroccan immigrant community, three models of discourse on identity have been differentiated: resource identity, confrontation identity and opportunity identity. Fifthly and finally, the plurality of attitudes towards the construction of identity is also linked to a wide diversity with respect to the orientation towards social integration, coexisting, in general, a pragmatic form of integration and another more complex and multidimensional model.