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Place: Turkish ‘Gastarbeiter’ and their children between different identities (“Germans or Turks”)
So far the postings on this story have presented different episodes of refugees’ life stories – critical situations or moments of relief. We have also presented insights into migrant communities and into grassroot intiatives that seek to promote integration.
Focusing on episodes may hide the long-term processes of integration. We also need to consider, what does it mean to become integrated into country that is not your own. Now it is time to have a closer look at these issues. Below, we will first have a look at a fictive story of Turkish migrants in the 1960s and their current situation forty years after.
The film: Almanya – Willkommen in Deutschland
The trailer of this lovely film can be found under the following URL:
Already the snapshots presented in the trailer give an overview of the cliches and the prejudices that the Turkish migrants had to overcome on their way to Germany. And in the same way the film deals with the cliches and prejudices that the Turkish migrants have to face in thew present-day society. Time and again the film poses the question “what are we?” and lets the characters of the story continue their trip to find it out.
The document: Alamanya
After the fictive story it is worthwhile to have a look at a real story in which migration plays a role – but this time the other way round. The document of the TV channel arte presents the story of Volkan. He was born as a son of a Turkish family in Germany.There he grew up as a Turk in Germany (Deutschlandtürke) but started to feel more like a German with Turkish roots (Deutscher mit Türkischer Abstammung) when he was studying. Only after he had graduated an looking for a job he realised that he was treated as a non-German.
His individual solution was to find a job in Turkey – working for a large German company. Now, the fact that he has Turkish family roots was not a problem for the company. And in his everyday life he is catching up with the Turkish language. This is a typical story of the young Turks who were born in Germany and grown up in the German society. In Turkey these ‘returners’ are called as “Germaners” (Deutschländer, Almancilar). But, as the video shows, many of them feel that they are most welcome ‘back’ to the country of their ancestors.
The stories speak for themselves – people tell of their multiple identities and different experiences with migration. There is much more to learn about these stories in Europe.
Place: The struggle of ‘outsiders’ from Tunisia and Afganistan to find themselves new perspectives
by Pekka Kämäräinen
The heated debates on the treatment of refugees and illegal immigrants are based on many prejudices, quick assumptions and sweeping generalisations. Mostly the newcomers are considered as squatters (who want to benefit of European social welfare ) or illegal workforce (who pave the way for wage dumping and irregularities in the labour market). Therefore, there is a lot of negativity in the recent debates.
For this reason it is essential to have a closer look at cases in which the refugee stories have led to a new start in Europe. Below, the news report and the video of the German TV channel ZDF give a picture of the struggle of refugees to overcome the fate of “being outsider” and to manage a new start in Europe.
The ZDF news report (in Germen) “Für die Taliban bin ich ein Verräter” (For Taliban I am a traitor) tells the refugee story of the Afghan car repair technician Parviz Esmail from Kabul via Iran, Turkey and Greece to Germany (Bad Kreuznach). Parviz managed to have the support from German NGOs at the right time and got his apprentice training placement (due to which he could stay). This story gives a picture of a person who had to leave his country because of threats and who sees his only possibility to Integrate into german society.
The ZDF video (in German with interviews in French) “Der lange Weg von Lampedusa nach Paris” (The long way from Lampedusa to Paris) tells the story of Abdel and how he managed to get through from lLmpedusa via the mainland over the French border and finally to Paris. The video gives a picture of a person who wants to work hard to be able to return to Tunisia as soon as possible (to make a new start in his home country).
These are two random examples – there are thousands of more stories to be told. What do we learn of these stories? What do they tell of the refugees? What do they tell of our European societies?
Place: top level debates on the Schengen agreement and the border controls on French-Italian border
by Pekka Kämäräinen
The decision of the Italian government (to issue tourist visas for a large number of refugees) and the reaction of the French government (to introduce border controls and turn holders of such visa back) have led to a heated European-level debate. There are several issues that are now discussed by the European ministers of Internal affairs:
How to introduce a fair distribution refugees across Europe instead of leaving the problems to border regions?
Are the government decisions in Italy and France compatible with the Schengen agreement on free mobility across (without border controls) in Europe?
How can EU establish an effective border control in the Mediterranean area?
Below, some news reports and videos that present the contrary positions and throw some light on the role of different EU member states as receivers or as transit countries:
Thenews reports and the video make it transparent that the European Union is far from being united and that there are huge differences between the readiness of member states to receive migrants. This calls for closer attention to the problems and possible solutions. Also, we should learn more of the capability of the refugees to find new perspectives for themselves.
Place: Continuation of the journey from Lampedusa to Ventimiglia or …?
by Pekka Kämäräinen
In an earlier episode of this story the three observers started examining the outnumbering of original population by migrants (=refugees) in the island of Lampedusa. The immediate observation was that the situation on that island can not be treated as a ‘local’ problem or as a national problem. The pressing questions are: What can be done to the masses that have landed there? What can be the realistic perspectives for the people who are already there?
The immediate response of the Italian government was to issue limited tourist visa to those who wanted to find work in the Schengen area (possibly outside Italy). Since a major part of the newest refugees come from Tunisia and are French-speaking, it was obvious that the most of the visa-holders try to get to France. The reaction of the French government was to introduce border control on the Italian border and to turn back the holders of such visa.
Here, the videos give a clear picture what is going on the trail from Lampedusa to the Italian-French border. The news reports give a clear picture that the problems have now become intergovernmental and European issues. We need to follow this up.
Shaking the balance – continuing story with new issues and venues
prepared by Pekka Kämäräinen
The three observers of the Politics Spring School – Valentina, Lise and Pekka – have completed their contribution for the European workshop in Chania. However, as it often happens in real life, the story that they started is going on and on …
This provides an opportunity for other observers to come in and follow where the initial story might lead us or what can be added to the picture. In the following blog postings I will add some observations – which to me are new pages to the continuing story:
a) The next stations of the boat refugees: From Lampedusa to Ventimiglia or …?
b) The implications for European policies: What is happening with the Schengen agreement?
c) An outsider’s story: From Afghanistan to Bad Kreuznach, Germany.
These examples demonstrate that the working group at Chania only managed to open a story box that has more threads to follow up and more issues to be discussed. To me. it is worthwhile to continue the exercise. What do you think?
Place: Brussels – the European metropol for expatriates and migrants
by Lise Traeland
And finally, Valentina and Pekka are visiting Lise in Brussels. Lise is working as an expatriate there and she has two children in a multicultural school. There the everyday life can at best look something like this.
The teachers and parents are constantly confronted with the challenge to cope with a multitude of languages. One of the best strategies for children is early language learning. One good example is the Piccolingo campaign for early foreign language learning.
Place: The districts of Neukölln, Kreuzberg and Wedding (in Berlin)
by Pekka Kämäräinen
Yes, now the two other observers – Valentina and Lise – are visiting Pekka in Germany. Pekka has taken them to the capital city Berlin where there is a lot of debate on the integration of migrant people.
In particular the districts of Neukölln, Kreuzberg and Wedding are mentioned often. In these districts people with Turkish or Arabic origin outnumber the people with German origin. What is worrying the Germans is the development of “ghettos” or “parallel societies” in which German language is no longer used and integration into German society is no longer desired. According to the critics, Germans who live in such neighbourhoods and children who go to school there have the fear to be mobbed because they are Germans.
What have observers noticed as positive initiatives in these districts?
Firstly, the work of “Berlin heroes” – the boys’ theater workshop group that uses short theater plays to teach young people – boys and girls – how to respect each other, live in democracy and put an end to violent behaviour.
Secondly, the work of “District mothers” as peer tutors to their peers in managing everyday life problems and in learning German language.
The final station of our learning journey is available here.
Place: The Island of Lampedusa, Italy (Between Sicily, Libya and Tunisia)
by Valentina Marchese
So, here we are, the two observers invited by Valentina to have a look what is happening on the island of Lampedusa.
What do we see happening there?
So we see that there is very little chance that the local people can settle the problems with the masses of newcomers. So, what can be done to ease the situation? Who is doing what? Here is a forum for discussing these questions.
We already start to see that this is not a local problem. As we see it, this calls for our attention all over Europe. What do you think about the situation? Who all should take action?
The next station of our learning journey is available here.
Shaking the balance – Tensions between original populations vs. migrants and expatriates
Here it starts…
… this is our story – we are Valentina, Lise and Pekka – three observers who are concerned of common issue. We have identified three places in which migrants and expatriates are outnumbering the “original” population. In all these places we have observed tensions and problems that we want to discuss. We also want to present initiatives that try to help the people to live and work together.
In the following blog postings we – Valentina, Lise and Pekka – will visit the different places we are talking about:
The island of Lampedusa (between Sicily and Libya) in the middle of the Mediterranian Sea,
The districts of Neukölln, Kreuzberg and Wedding in Berlin (with a majority of inhabitants with non-German origin) and
Brussels (with a scenario of of having about 75% of inhabitants with non-Belgian origin by 2020).
Would you like to join us on our learning journey?
The next station of our learning journey is available here.
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission within the "Lifelong Learning Programme - Information-communication-technologies (Key activity 3)".
This website reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
You can find more information about the project on the project website:
www.politics-project.eu
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission within the "Lifelong Learning Programme - Information-communication-technologies (Key activity 3)".
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