Changing the National Narrative: Evolution in Citizenship and Integration in Germany, 2000–10

Abstract

The past 10 years of German history give evidence of a paradigm shift in Germany’s national narrative. The early years of the decade were marked by widespread denial at the elite level that Germany was a country of immigration and adherence to an assimilationist model of integration but progressed to the creation of a National Integration Plan by Christian Union Chancellor Angela Merkel and the liberalization of public opinion. Germany’s recent history shows dramatic discursive and policy changes. This article documents the changes in elite discursive scripts, showing the gradual acceptance and rejection of discourses about integration and their implications for national identity. It concludes that, though the changes are not universally liberal, the decade as a whole constitutes a remarkable liberalization of both elite discourse and public opinion.

An Alternative Narrative of Integration In Germany through an Ethnographic Exploration of Cuban Immigration

“…Germany has been traditionally a country of emigration that has transformed into one of immigration in the last half of the 20 th century (Kurthen, 1995). Germany was also slow in admitting its new role as a country of immigration (Seifert, 1997;Avci, 2006;Castles, 2006;Green, 2007;Boswell & Hough, 2008;Silver, 2010;Williams, 2014;Çelik, 2015;Immerfall, 2017), which is why the notion of integration was all but ignored (Anil, 2005;Avci, 2006). As Germany's immigrant population began to grow at an accelerated rate after the 1960s, integration became an issue the government could no longer afford to ignore.…”

“…The aim of its immigration policies has been to unify the German nation (Williams, 2014). The controversy stems from the fact that ethnicity has historically been the definition for this unity, which simultaneously also defined its exclusions (Brubaker, 1992;Kurthen, 1995;Macias, 1996Williams, 2014. Since Germany has traditionally been a country of emigration (Kurthen, 1995), issues with its immigration policies were most emphasized after WWII due to the influx of immigration.…”

“…456; see also Brubaker, 1992, p.170;Kurthen, 1995). Therefore, this liberal immigration law directed at ethnic Germans acted as a unifying force for the German nation, despite geopolitical displacement imposed after WWII (Brubaker, 1992;Williams, 2014). With the influx of immigration, including ethnic immigration, a quota system was introduced for ethnic migration as integration issues became increasingly evident (Williams, 2014, p. 56).…”

“…This act lessened the strict naturalization requirements such as "by reducing the residence requirement for naturalization from 15 to eight years" (Williams, 2014, p. 59; see also Anil, 2005;Williams, 2013, p. 33). A caveat in this new law, termed Optionsmodell 5 , denied dual citizenship and required children applying for jus soli to renounce their foreign citizenship when they became adults (Anil, 2005;Ersanilli & Koopmans, 2010;Williams, 2014;Çelik, 2015; see also Brubaker, 2001). The exception to the denial of dual citizenship was made for some EU nationals (Williams, 2014).…”

“…This wave of migration has transformed countries of emigration, such as Germany, into countries of immigration (Kurthen, 1995), catapulting integration into the focal point of many academic, political, and societal discussions. Despite the subject's popularity, it has been highly debated across media platforms and political discourse (Boswell & Hough, 2008;Williams, 2014; see also Kurthen, 1995;Bauder, 2008;Pătrașcu, 2015).…”