Ever since Barack Obama was elected as the 44th President of the United States, it seems that minorities all over the world have gained hope in regard to the possibility of having a minority representative in their specific state's highest office. Especially in Germany, with nearly 20% of its inhabitants being of foreign descent, Obama and his achievements were looked up to. This could be seen on Obama's visit to Berlin in July 2008 when an estimated number of 200,000 people cheered Obama (Zeleni). His election in 2008 set high hopes in Germany which seem to manifest in Cem Oezdemir, one of the leaders of the German Green Party (Buendnis 90/Die Grünen).
Oezdemir is a German politician of Turkish descent. He is a representative of Germany's largest minority. From the 1960s on, Turkish foreign workers, among others, came to Germany to rebuild the state's economy. Many of them did not leave the country as initially planned but rather got their families to emigrate to Germany as well. By now, the Turkish minority is by far the largest minority in Germany. Until today, the Turkish minority is politically underrepresented. Oezedemir seems to be a glimpse of hope for this minority. When Oezdemir was 28, in 1994, he was the first German of Turkish descent to enter the German Bundestag. In November 2008 he was elected to be one of three people heading the Green Party. Thereby, Oezdemir became the first immigrant leader of a German party. His election, shortly after that of Obama's, made the German and international press compare Oezdemir to Obama. Apart from the symbolic similarities, does that comparison make sense? I think it does. This is what I will try to prove in this paper.
In the following, I will point out the similarities and differences between the Turkish minority in Germany and the African American minority in the US. I will focus on the broader groups instead of the particular persons. I will analyze their specific minority's chances in politics. Since a full comparison of both minorities would not be possible in a regular term paper, I will present valid aspects to base the comparison on. Those will be the level of integration and the level of participation of both minorities. With these measurements in mind, I will compare the numbers of citizens, the numbers of representatives in the respective parliament and the numbers of political involved minority members.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Integration, Political Behavior, and Inclusion
3. Germans of Turkish descent and African Americans in Comparison
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This term paper explores the comparability of the African American minority in the United States and the Turkish minority in Germany, specifically analyzing their respective levels of integration and political participation in the context of political representation and social inclusion.
- Theoretical frameworks of integration and political participation (Linked Fate, Socio-Economic status).
- Historical and socio-economic context of Turkish immigrants in Germany.
- Historical and socio-economic context of African Americans in the United States.
- Comparative analysis of political representation and voting behavior.
- Discussion on the symbolic role of political figures like Barack Obama and Cem Oezdemir.
Excerpt from the Book
Integration, Political Behavior, and Inclusion
One of the fundamentals of modern day political participation, besides citizenship, is a certain amount of integration. That integration, as Heckmann defines it, “in the context of migration [,] refers to the inclusion of new populations into existing social structures and the equality and manners in which these new populations are connected to the existing system of socio-economic, legal and cultural relations” (46).
There are different categories or measurements of integration such as cultural integration which Heckmann considers to be a “cognitive, cultural, behavioral and attitudinal change” (46f.), social integration which includes private relationships and group memberships (ibid. 47), and “identificational” integration which describes a sense of belonging and identification to the newly inhabited country and culture (ibid.).
Considering political participation impossible or at least very unlikely without any sort of integration, we further have to look at reasons for political participation. According to Kendra King, political participation for African Americans has three basic indicators (46ff.). Those is, first of all, what King calls, “group consciousness” or “linked fate”. Second of all, there is the “socio-economic status”. Third of all, there is the “fear/threat” model (ibid. 46ff.). The “linked fate” model refers to the basic similarity that all African American people in the US share, which is the history of slavery and segregation as well as the sense of otherness in a majority White society based on a darker skin color. Although there was no such thing as slavery for the Turkish people in Germany, they still are a visibly different minority due to their skin color, their different culture and oftentimes their Muslim religion.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: Provides the context of Barack Obama's election and Cem Oezdemir's political role, establishing the research premise of comparing the political integration of Turkish minorities in Germany and African Americans in the U.S.
Integration, Political Behavior, and Inclusion: Outlines the theoretical models of integration and political participation, specifically utilizing the concepts of "linked fate" and socio-economic status to frame the comparative analysis.
Germans of Turkish descent and African Americans in Comparison: Delivers a detailed comparative analysis of both groups, examining their historical backgrounds, socio-economic disadvantages, and current levels of political representation and voting behavior.
Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while both groups face marginalization, the U.S. offers a longer history of civil rights, and suggests that political success for minorities in Germany is a prospect that will likely take more time to evolve.
Keywords
Integration, Political Participation, African Americans, Turkish Minority, Linked Fate, Socio-Economic Status, Bundestag, Congress, Barack Obama, Cem Oezdemir, Migration, Minority Representation, Citizenship, Civil Rights, Political Inclusion.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this term paper?
The paper examines whether the political situation of the Turkish minority in Germany can be compared to that of African Americans in the United States, particularly regarding their integration and political participation.
What are the primary themes discussed in the work?
The main themes include integration theory, historical immigration backgrounds, socio-economic factors influencing voting behavior, and the symbolic significance of minority political leaders.
What is the main objective or research question?
The author seeks to determine if a comparison between the political trajectories of these two distinct minority groups is reasonable and whether the prospect of a "German Obama" is currently feasible.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The paper utilizes a comparative analysis approach, applying established political science models—specifically the "linked fate" and "socio-economic status" models—to evaluate statistical data on population, education, and parliamentary representation.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body details the immigration history of Turkish people in Germany, the history of African American civil rights in the U.S., and compares their respective unemployment rates, educational outcomes, and parliamentary seat shares.
What are the essential keywords characterizing the work?
Key terms include integration, political participation, linked fate, socio-economic status, migration, and minority representation.
How does the "linked fate" model apply to the Turkish minority in Germany?
The author argues that while Turkish people lack the specific history of slavery, they share a sense of otherness and discrimination that makes the "linked fate" model relevant in explaining their voting preferences for parties that support their agenda.
Why does the author conclude that a "German Obama" is unlikely at this time?
The author suggests that Germany lacks the long-standing civil rights history of the U.S. and that structural barriers in education and political representation currently hinder the emergence of a minority leader in the highest office.
How does the author evaluate the political representation of both groups?
The author highlights that both groups are significantly underrepresented in their respective legislative bodies (the Bundestag in Germany and Congress in the U.S.) relative to their share of the total population.
What is the role of Cem Oezdemir in this analysis?
Cem Oezdemir serves as a symbolic reference point for the Turkish minority in Germany, mirroring the symbolic role Barack Obama plays for African Americans, although the author notes fundamental differences in their political contexts.
- Quote paper
- B.A. Eike Rüdebusch (Author), 2012, A German Obama? A Comparison of African Americans and German Immigrants of Turkish Descent in Terms of Integration and Political Participation , Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/214920
