I agree, it is good to see that more and more people start to naturally associate names like Özil with Germany. After all, what associates you most with any place or state, is where you grew up and got your education. Some people of course will be hard to convince that a person raised in German language, in a German school, with European/German norms and values but with Turkish sounding name, are actually German. More stunningly, sometimes just such a person is most unconvinced of this, which makes the transition a really hard task. The problem of racism and integration in Germany is nowadays, in my oppinion, from two sides. Unlike the situation with the African Americans after slavery, the turkish descendants have a country they can relate to, that sometimes seems more powerfull, or proud, or militarilly decicive, more masculine than their actual home (I am talking about Turkey, e.g.). And for some reason, these adjectives are things that many people can relate to.
So I think the task is both to change the view of Germans on nationality, but also for those Germans with roots elsewhere to let go an reroot themselves (hope this notion is not too much loaded with bad connotation). Of course, both things are related, and fortunately both processes are happening.
Anyway, this is my explanation why this transition is happening so slowly-there are two views to be changed, not only one.
I do understand what you mean about integration being a two-way street - though my focus here was more on the process of Germany as a whole adapting to the idea of citizens who are German regardless of background.
When you compare these kinds of matters between the US and Germany, in my belief, the difference has less to do with specific differences between, say, African-Americans and Turkish-Germans (which are only two examples out of many population groups anyway) and much more to do with the fact that - as much as some more wacky, out-there members of our population choose to studiously ignore the fact - the US has always been a country of immigrants, and none of us are any "more" American than any others of us. It's a given that a person can look Asian/African/whatever and simultaneously be American.
Germany never even had this concept until half a century ago, so it's completely understandable that the idea of "looks Turkish/Ghanaian/whatever and is German" still hasn't become completely normal. But the fact that it's already become at least kind of normal - and it's only been a few decades - is what gives me hope about the future!
names like Özil with Germany. After all, what associates you most with any place
or state, is where you grew up and got your education. Some people of course will
be hard to convince that a person raised in German language, in a German school,
with European/German norms and values but with Turkish sounding name, are actually
German. More stunningly, sometimes just such a person is most unconvinced of this,
which makes the transition a really hard task. The problem of racism and integration in Germany
is nowadays, in my oppinion, from two sides. Unlike the situation with the African Americans
after slavery, the turkish descendants have a country they can relate to, that sometimes seems more powerfull, or proud, or militarilly decicive, more masculine than their actual home (I am talking about Turkey, e.g.). And for some reason, these adjectives are things that many people can relate to.
So I think the task is both to change the view of Germans on nationality, but also for those Germans with roots elsewhere to let go an reroot themselves (hope this notion is not too much loaded with bad connotation). Of course, both things are related, and fortunately both processes are happening.
Anyway, this is my explanation why this transition is happening so slowly-there are two views to be changed, not only one.
Reply
Greetings, David
Reply
When you compare these kinds of matters between the US and Germany, in my belief, the difference has less to do with specific differences between, say, African-Americans and Turkish-Germans (which are only two examples out of many population groups anyway) and much more to do with the fact that - as much as some more wacky, out-there members of our population choose to studiously ignore the fact - the US has always been a country of immigrants, and none of us are any "more" American than any others of us. It's a given that a person can look Asian/African/whatever and simultaneously be American.
Germany never even had this concept until half a century ago, so it's completely understandable that the idea of "looks Turkish/Ghanaian/whatever and is German" still hasn't become completely normal. But the fact that it's already become at least kind of normal - and it's only been a few decades - is what gives me hope about the future!
Reply
Leave a comment