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Language and immigration in Germany: the role of German language in recent immigration debates

Language and immigration in Germany: the role of German language in recent immigration debates
Language and immigration in Germany: the role of German language in recent immigration debates
All nations with significant dimensions of immigration and ethnic minorities are facing policy tensions stemming from two contradicting fundamental constitutional principles. The establishment and preservation of nationhood seems to require cultural homogeneity and associated integration of the population living on a specified territory. However, the aim of integration is challenged by the principle of recognising and safeguarding cultural identities of minorities and immigrants. One of central debates concerns language policy.

This country study concerns the recent relation of language policy and immigration policy in Germany. It is based on the analysis of public discourses circling around the legislative process and the subsequent application and amendment of the foreigners’ statute of 1997 and the immigration statute of 2004 including the Green card initiative (2000) and the debate about restrictive policies after the Madrid bombing (2004). It also contains a case study of the controversies on the German-only policy on the playground of a multi-ethnic school in Wedding, a district of Berlin. Recent media coverage shows that this example, picked in 2006, has since achieved a paradigmatic quality.

The thesis outlines and applies aspects of critical discourse analysis for the interpretation of selected relevant texts, mainly contained in national quality newspapers. The case study is also based on interviews and use of correspondence addressed to the school.
Schanze, Livia Sophie
33538a8a-b3f8-4c92-9786-541e23ff7355
Schanze, Livia Sophie
33538a8a-b3f8-4c92-9786-541e23ff7355
Stevenson, Patrick
7b8878de-4a5b-4eaf-88d2-034d9041f41d

Schanze, Livia Sophie (2010) Language and immigration in Germany: the role of German language in recent immigration debates. University of Southampton, School of Humanities, Doctoral Thesis, 271pp.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

All nations with significant dimensions of immigration and ethnic minorities are facing policy tensions stemming from two contradicting fundamental constitutional principles. The establishment and preservation of nationhood seems to require cultural homogeneity and associated integration of the population living on a specified territory. However, the aim of integration is challenged by the principle of recognising and safeguarding cultural identities of minorities and immigrants. One of central debates concerns language policy.

This country study concerns the recent relation of language policy and immigration policy in Germany. It is based on the analysis of public discourses circling around the legislative process and the subsequent application and amendment of the foreigners’ statute of 1997 and the immigration statute of 2004 including the Green card initiative (2000) and the debate about restrictive policies after the Madrid bombing (2004). It also contains a case study of the controversies on the German-only policy on the playground of a multi-ethnic school in Wedding, a district of Berlin. Recent media coverage shows that this example, picked in 2006, has since achieved a paradigmatic quality.

The thesis outlines and applies aspects of critical discourse analysis for the interpretation of selected relevant texts, mainly contained in national quality newspapers. The case study is also based on interviews and use of correspondence addressed to the school.

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More information

Published date: April 2010
Organisations: University of Southampton, Modern Languages

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 344779
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/344779
PURE UUID: ddf32de9-098c-42ab-a913-c43d72c65dc0

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Date deposited: 31 Oct 2012 11:40
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 12:17

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Contributors

Author: Livia Sophie Schanze
Thesis advisor: Patrick Stevenson

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