Digital Talk: Segregation Islands - Together/Apart in New York`s Melting Pot

May 24, 2022

As part of our Fellowship Program, Achilles Kallergis, Assistant Professor at the New School for Social Research in New York, presented his new study on housing segregation in New York. New York has one of the most segregated housing markets in the United States. This is especially a problem for People of Color as well as the foreign-born population. The study focuses on the following questions: in the context of a changing labor and housing market, how has spatial segregation between different populations changed?  How can the segregation of populations in large cities be addressed in the context of social inequality? What opportunities for improvement can be created for immigrants in this process?

These and other questions were discussed in the following open discussion round, the expert talk was moderated by MIDEM Coordinator Dr. Oliviero Angeli.

Digital expert talk: Healthcare for refugees in Germany

April 12, 2022

In light of the Ukrainian refugee migration, Katja Lindner - research associate at MIDEM - spoke about political legal aspects and challenges of health care for refugees in Germany. What has happened since the refugee crisis in 2015 and what is different now? What is the legal basis for refugees and what are the current problems and needs for action? The expert discussion was moderated by MIDEM Director Hans Vorländer. The following audience discussion was introduced by a statement of guest speaker Prof. Dr. Oliver Razum.

On the border of burden - escape from Ukraine to Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic

March 31, 2022

More than 2.5 million people have fled the war in Ukraine - a large number of them to the Visegrád countries. These countries are currently doing an outstanding job with initial reception. But the greatest challenges still lie ahead: When will the limits of the burden be reached? How is care organized? Are there integration possibilities?  What is the situation on the ground? How can Europe help?

These and other questions were discussed among others by MIDEM experts Jenna Althoff, Kristina Chmelar and Marta Kozłowska on 03/31/22 at 12:30 p.m. in the Zoom Lunch Talk, moderated by Hans Vorländer.

June 16, 2021
MIDEM/ZVD presented the first representative study on the socio-spatial and political-cultural framework conditions of the pandemic in Saxony during an expert discussion with the Saxon State Minister for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion, Petra Köpping and the infectiologist Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Lübbert (University Hospital/ St. Georg Clinic, Leipzig).
 

The results of the study on the socio-spatial and political-cultural framework conditions of the pandemic in Saxony, written by Maik Herold and Cyrill Otteni under the direction of Forum MIDEM Director Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer, were presented at a press conference on June 16, 2021 and subsequently discussed in an expert meeting. MIDEM invited the Saxon State Minister for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion, Petra Köpping and the infectiologist Prof. Dr. med. Christoph Lübbert (University Hospital/ St. Georg Clinic, Leipzig). 

For the first time, the study promises to provide comprehensive insights into how attitudes and opinions about the pandemic are distributed among the population of Saxony, as well as among specific sociodemographic groups and different regions within Saxony. It addresses the following questions: How do citizens in Saxony evaluate the measures taken to contain the Covid 19 pandemic and the state government's coronavirus management? To what extent do Saxons feel burdened by the restrictions and their consequences? What is the level of vaccination readiness but also vaccination skepticism in the Saxon population? How widespread is Coronavirus-related conspiracy thinking? How are the protests against the Covid-19 mitigation measures, which are often initiated by groups like the "Querdenkern", evaluated in the Saxon population?

In the course of a lively exchange about the results, the Minister of State expressed the assumption that the real social challenge is yet to come. "After the end of the pandemic, other societal tasks will come our way". In this regard, Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer emphasized that we must fight the pandemic together. "It must be us against the pandemic. It is a community-building task we face." 

The publication of the study was met with a broad media response. 

May 10 - 12, 2021

In cooperation with the German “Deutsches Hygiene Museum Dresden”  MIDEM conducted the digital congress "GETEILTE HEIMATEN Deutschland und Europa als interkulturelle Erfahrungsräume" from May 10 to 12, 2021.

The three-day congress was dedicated to the question of whether a German and European "unity in diversity" will exist in 2021. More than 30 years after the reunification and the beginning of the transformations in the East of the continent, the congress examined which distortions and polarization processes currently characterize Germany and Europe.

Similarities and differences as well as their processing on the European and German level were considered. Special attention was paid to lines of conflict around the topics of migration, East and West, and city and country.

The congress considered the German developments in the larger context of a (re)united and at the same time divided Europe: Because questions of coming together again and of social cohesion across cultural and social differences also arise on a European level.

The program of the digital congress consisted of contributions from the fields of culture, art, education, science, politics and civil society. In addition to interdisciplinary scientific lectures and panel discussions, artistic and cultural contributions as well as workshops and participatory discussion formats seek answers to the possibilities of living together in diversity in a united Germany and Europe.

MIDEM Director Hans Vorländer was part of the opening panel "What we share, what divides us. Cohesion and fault lines in East and West 30 years after." which took stock of the situation in Germany 30 years after reunification.

The political scientist and research associate of MIDEM, Maik, Herold, participated as a speaker in the electoral panel "Discursfeld Migration -Erfahrungen aus Dresden im Kontext" and presented research results on migration, right-wing populism and political cultures in East Germany and Eastern Europe.

Further information on the digital congress can be found here.

April 21, 2021
Following an invitation by Annette Widmann-Mauz, Minister of State for Integration, representatives of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs of the Länder in the Federal Republic of Germany, academia and educational field came together for an expert discussion on the topic of diversity in curricula and school teaching.

The event concerned the presentation of the new curriculum study on migration and integration by the Mercator Forum Migration and Democracy (MIDEM) under the direction of Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer. The curriculum study was presented by co-author Ender Yimazel. Afterwards, a panel discussion with Britta Ernst, Chairwoman of the KMK and Minister of Education of Brandenburg, Prof. Dr. Viola B. Georgi, Professor for Diversity Education and Director of the Center for Educational Integration at the Foundation University of Hildesheim, Atika Müller-Erogul, State Coordination, Migrant Teachers of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and MIDEM Director Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer took place. The expert discussion was conducted in digital form.

The curriculum study examines how the topics of migration and integration are made a topic in curricula and school lessons. It also provides recommendations on how schools and teachers can be supported in addressing diversity appropriately in the classroom. For this purpose, the curricula in the German states of Bavaria, Berlin and Brandenburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Saxony were evaluated and interviews were conducted with teachers and experts. The study was commissioned by the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and Integration, Minister of State Annette Widmann-Mauz.

At the expert discussion, representatives of the federal and state governments, education experts from academia and practice exchanged views on successful examples of how challenges in the field of education can be addressed in concrete terms and how diversity can be addressed in schools.

Integration Minister Annette Widmann-Mauz emphasized: "What was true 60 years ago when the recruitment agreements with Turkey, Greece, Italy and other countries were signed is still true today: immigration plays a decisive role in the economic success of our country. Immigration and diversity have long shaped our society. Even in our schoolyards, diversity has long been part of everyday life as a matter of course. It is important that Germany's self-image as a diverse society is reflected more strongly in school lessons and teaching materials, and that opportunities and challenges are also addressed. The new curriculum study shows a positive development here: In many German states, the topics of migration and integration have now found their way into the curricula. These good impulses should literally "set a precedent". This also includes supporting our teachers in their initial and further training in dealing with diversity and the associated conflicts."

Director of the Mercator Forum Migration and Democracy (MIDEM) at TU Dresden, Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer, added: "Migration is a global phenomenon - but also one that affects many students in Germany as part of their family history. Teaching the importance of migration also means making these individual and collective migration stories visible. They are part of the wealth of experience of a diverse society. That's why it's important for curricula to also focus on Germany's more recent migration history - from the recruitment of guest and contract workers in the second half of the 20th century to the immigration of so-called late repatriates and the migration of skilled workers."

You can download the curriculum study here: Curriculum Study on Migration and Integration (Link: https://forum-midem.de/cms/data/fm/user_upload/Projekte/MIDEM_Lehrplanstudie_web.pdf)

Scientific direction: Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer

Staff and collaborators:

Ender Yilmazel, M.A.
Francesca Barp, M.A.

March 10, 2021
"Migration - Challenges in the conflict between theory and practice"

From March 9-10, 2021, the spring conference of the section "Political Theory and History of Ideas" took place on the topic "Migration - Challenges in the conflict between theory and practice". Due to the pandemic, the conference was held digitally as a Zoom Webinar and was therefore open to all interested parties. Thematically, however, the conference was aimed at political scientists and in particular political theorists.

The starting point for the conference was the recognition that political theorists have increasingly turned to questions of migration policy in the wake of the refugee crisis, critically examining both the causes and effects of migration. Accordingly, the aim of the conference was both to take stock of the debates in political theory and to identify perspectives for future migration research. This interim balance was drawn in particular in the introductory lecture, which was given by the co-organizers Oliviero Angeli (MIDEM - TU Dresden) and Andreas Niederberger (UDE).

The conference also featured two keynotes: Lea Ypis (LSE) presented on "Immigration, Solidarity and Social Class." Anna Lübbe (Hochschule Fulda) added a legal perspective to the conference. Her presentation, "The EU Asylum System after the Crisis: On the Role of Law," linked to the current debate on the development of the EU refugee system. One of the highlights of the conference was the talk between Hans Vorländer (MIDEM - TU Dresden) and former Federal Minister Dr. Thomas de Maizière. In the conversation, de Maizière looked back on his experiences as Minister of the Interior during the 'refugee crisis'. This also addressed the question of the relationship between pragmatism and idealism in refugee policy. Both the keynotes and the conversation with Dr. Thomas de Maizière can be found here in our media library.

The conference also included four thematic panels, which dealt with topics such as "Topoi of the Migration Discourse: Welcome Culture and State of Emergency" and "Migration and Right-Wing Populism." The speakers included, in particular, young German scholars. The aim of the panels was to provide a forum for discussion of issues that lie at the intersection of normative reflection and empirical analysis.

The full program for the conference can be found here.

December 8, 2020
Online press conference and expert talk on the results of the MIDEM Annual Report 2020.

CONFLICT FIELDS OF MIGRATION AND DEMOCRACY

July 7, 2020
Prof. Dr. Petra Bendel, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Chairwoman of the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration - "Two Worlds? Integration policy in urban and rural areas" 

How have actors in administration and civil society at the municipal level dealt with increased immigration since 2015/16? Are there differences in dealing with migration between big cities and rural areas? Answers to these questions are provided by the recently published Robert Bosch Foundation study "Two Worlds? Integration Policy in Urban and Rural Areas" which Petra Bendel, co-author of the study, presented in the MIDEM Lecture Series "Conflicting Fields of Migration and Democracy." Stakeholders from 92 municipalities in twelve German states were interviewed for the study. They were selected with the intention of providing as broad a picture of municipal reality as possible. "The years 2015/16 have acted like a catalyst in the municipalities," Petra Bendel summed up. "Even in the smallest municipalities, old, 'encrusted' structures were broken up, and cooperation on the topic of integration between individual offices was strengthened or initiated for the first time." This "innovation push" is now also having an effect on other topics of administrative work. Overall, the municipalities have taken a very pragmatic approach to the issue. Many municipal actors wanted to pass on their experience to the state and federal levels and would like to help shape migration policy in the future.

MIDEM Lecture Series 2020

CONFLICT FIELDS OF MIGRATION AND DEMOCRACY

June 30, 2020
Dr. Marta Lorimer, London School of Economics, University of Exeter - "Protecting the Nation from Migrants, Decline and Other Threats? Radical Right Emergency Politics and their Purposes."

When reading or listening to the statements of right-wing populist and radical right-wing parties, one imagines that their homeland is surrounded by enemies, that it has even been taken over, that it is threatened by grim dangers. Only the party claiming this is willing and able to save the nation threatened in such a way from the downfall described so forcefully. Marta Lorimer analyzes why this rhetoric is used and what mechanisms underlie the choice of words, the threat scenarios and the selection of the supposed scapegoats in her online lecture "Protecting the Nation from Migrants, Decline and Other Threats? Radical Right Emergency Politics and their Purposes." She illustrates her theses with speeches by Front National founder Jean-Marie Le Pen and current Rassemblement National party leader Marine Le Pen.

MIDEM Lecture Series 2020

CONFLICT FIELDS OF MIGRATION AND DEMOCRACY

June 23, 2020
Prof. Dr. Michael Haller, University of Leipzig, Hamburg Media School - "Migration - Hate and Defamation on the Internet: Override? Ban? Discuss?"

The linguistic brutalization, disparagement and humiliation of certain people and groups of people has increased significantly on the Internet over the past ten years. In his online lecture "Migration - Hate and Defamation on the Internet," Michael Haller explained how the phenomenon of Hate Speech has developed, how it affects all public communication, and what strategies are used to counter it. It was primarily around the latter that the subsequent discussion revolved: what might be the best method for responding to hate speech on the Internet? Michael Haller, supported by numerous examples of other reactions, advocates not accepting hate unchallenged, but arguing very objectively and calmly in comments. The target of the arguments is not the sender of the hate speech, but the people reading along on the communication platforms, who can only be reached in this way.

MIDEM Lecture Series 2020

CONFLICT FIELDS OF MIGRATION AND DEMOCRACY

May 26, 2020
Petra Köpping, Saxon Minister of State for Social Affairs and Social Cohesion - "Migration and Integration in Saxony 

The Covid-19 pandemic and the measures to contain it have caused fears for the future among many people and thus rekindled resentment against migrants. The visit of Minister of State Petra Köpping to Forum MIDEM on May 26, 2020 shows that topics such as migration and integration are particularly explosive and important right now. Despite a cabinet meeting, a press conference and a meeting of the crisis team Petra Köpping did not miss the opportunity to participate in an online discussion with Forum MIDEM director Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer, the MIDEM team and students of the TU Dresden about the topic of migration and integration in Saxony. Among other things, the discussion focused on how to deal with refugees during the pandemic, the contents of the Saxon Integration Act and the strengthening of civil society in Saxony. The subsequent discussion expanded the view to look at the legal situation in other federal states, addressed the topics of the legitimacy of protests by refugees and also health care in collective accommodations.

MIDEM Lecture Series 2020

CONFLICT FIELDS OF MIGRATION AND DEMOCRACY

May 12, 2020
Prof. Dr. Uwe Backes, Deputy Director of the Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism at the TU Dresden - "Migration and the Dynamics of Political Violence" 

As part of the MIDEM Lecture Series, Dresden-based political scientist and extremism researcher Prof. Dr. Uwe Backes (Hannah Arendt Institute for Research on Totalitarianism, TU Dresden) gave an online lecture on "Migration and the Dynamics of Political Violence" on May 12, 2020. He explained to what extent the "refugee crisis" has led to an increase in xenophobically motivated violence and who the targets of this violence are. In addition, he presented various radicalization processes and factors which are of particular importance for the associated dynamics of violence in an actor-centered manner.. Prof. Backes clarified the motivations of politically motivated confrontational violence and thus the interaction dynamics between left-wing and right-wing violent actors. Finally, by illustrating the "East-West divide" of right-wing violent acts, he offered the possibility to examine the overall social explanatory factors of a dynamization of violence.

MIDEM-Lecture Series

VARIETIES OF POPULISM

Populism is a global phenomenon - but it manifests itself in different ways in individual countries. What are the national differences and parallels? Why have populists not been successful in countries like Portugal so far? And what role does the respective approach to the topic of migration play?

These are the questions addressed by international experts in the MIDEM Lecture Series "Varieties of Populism".

May 21, 2019
Prof. Dr. Federico Finchelstein (The New School for Social Research, New York)
spoke about Populism without Borders

May 28, 2019
Mariana Mendes, MA (European University Institute, Florence)
held a presentation regarding The Radical Right in Portugal and Spain:
Why has it been unsuccessful in Portugal and why is the landscape changing in Spain?

June 5, 2019
Dr. Ann-Cathrine Jungar (Södertörn University Stockholm)
gave a lecture entitled The Party that came in from the Cold:
The Parliamentary Breakthrough of the Sweden Democrats

In the closing event on June 18, 2019
Prof. Dr. Emilia Palonen (University of Helsinki)
addressed Finnish Populism: From Anti-Soviet and Anti-Elitism to Anti-Immigration

The events were held in English

Policy Dialogue
Brussels, February 6, 2019

Cause or trigger? The link between migration and populism

Hans Vorländer
Director, Mercator Forum Migration and Democracy
Director, Centre for the Study of Constitutionalism and Democracy, TU Dresden

Jean Lambert MEP
Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, European Parliament

Milica Petrovic
Member of Cabinet of European Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Communication Adviser, DG Home, European Commission

Aidan White
Founder & President, Ethical Journalism Network

Marie De Somer
Head of Migration and Diversity Programme, European Policy Centre (Moderator)

Since 2015, populist narratives have been gaining ever more visibility in Europe with extremist statements on migration becoming more widespread in mainstream discourse. As a result, European democracies are under pressure to deal with the rise in far-right populism and the growing distrust in the liberal foundation underpinning our society. In the run-up to the European Parliament elections in May 2019, migration is expected - once again - to take a dominant role in election campaigns and the political debate. Is migration a trigger or a root cause of the rise of populist forces across Europe? How can policy makers and the media become more aware of how populism shapes the discourse on migration? How can we strengthen fact-based communication on migration at European and national level? This Policy Dialogue will address these and other questions. The discussion will draw on the findings of MIDEM’s annual report.     

EPC Conference Centre, 3rd floor, 14-16 Rue du Trône, 1000 Brussels

POPULISM

In recent years right-wing populist parties in Europe have gained considerable ground. This has resulted in political polarization and division in society. What is driving voters towards right-wing populist parties in Europe? Is it a fear of loss? Do they feel threatened by migration? Is right-wing populism a symptom of a crisis in democracy, a seismograph for social and economic distortions, an indicator of cultural and global upheavals?

International experts look at these questions within the framework of the MIDEM lecture series entitled “Populism”. You are warmly invited to attend.

April 25, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Prof. Dr. Pier Paolo Portinaro (Universität Turin)
Populismus von Rechts und Links: Der Fall Italien
(Right- and left-wing populism: The case of Italy)

May 8, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Prof. Dr. Cornelia Koppetsch (Universität Darmstadt)
Rechtspopulismus als politischer Klassenkampf?
Die sozialen Milieus der Wählerschaft
(Right-wing populism as a political class struggle?
The social milieus of the constituents)

June 12, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Prof. Dr. Federico Finchelstein (The New School, USA)
Populism, Fascism and Technocracy

June 20, 2018, 5:30 p.m.
Prof. Dr. Cas Mudde (University of Georgia, USA)
Did the “Refugee Crisis” Cause the Rise of Populism?

Presentation MIDEM – Policy Paper

The domicile requirement as a German integration policy tool?
The example of Saxony

March 15, 2018, TU Dresden

In Saxony a domicile requirement has recently been introduced for recognised refugees. But does a domicile requirement even make sense? And under what circumstances is it permitted? How does it need to be implemented so that it promotes integration? The study “The domicile requirement as an integration policy tool” looks at these questions. It was authored by the Mercator Forum Migration and Democracy (MIDEM) at TU Dresden and was presented at a press conference by Nona Renner and Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer on March 15, 2018. In the study there is an examination of the need and benefits, the use of an allocation formula and ways to reconcile the needs of refugees and the municipalities’ potential for integration. The study is supplemented by examples from other federal states and other European countries.

The study is available for download here.

A summary can be found here.
(Both in German)

MIDEM subsequently invited experts with practical experience to a background discussion. Around 20 representatives from welfare organisations, local authorities, rural districts and ministries discussed the consequences of the domicile requirement and exchanged information and views about their experiences to date as well as about the situation in Saxony specifically. MIDEM will also accompany the implementation of the domicile requirement with academic research in future and with this event it laid the foundation for a network in which research and practice go hand in hand.

Presentation of the report assessing the need for a Saxon integration law

February 21, 2018, from 11:15 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.

TU Dresden
Von-Gerber-Bau, Bergstr. 53, 01069 Dresden
Ground floor, Room 013

The report was drawn up by the Center for Integration Research at the TU Dresden on behalf of the Ministry of Equality and Integration of the Saxon State Ministry for Social Affairs and Consumer Protection, in cooperation with MIDEM, as well as academics from Leipzig University. The task of the assessment was to analyse the need and prerequisites for and the feasibility of an integration law in the Saxon context. Perspectives from the fields of law, political science and education were included.

Download the assessment and the summary(German)

Welcoming address:
Prof. Dr. Heike Greschke (Chairwoman of the Center for Integration Research, TU Dresden)
Prof. Dr. Hans Vorländer (Director of MIDEM, TU Dresden)

Presentation of the assessment:
Dr. Oliviero Angeli (Academic coordinator MIDEM, TU Dresden)
Dr. Carolin Eckardt (Academic employee at the Center for Integration Research, TU Dresden)
Dr. Anna Mrozek (Academic employee, Chair for Public Law, Political Science and Constitutional Theory, Leipzig University)

Minister-President Michael Kretschmer:

How can social cohesion successfully be achieved?
Democratic handling of migration and populism

January 16, 2018, 4 p.m. - 6 p.m.
Auditorium centre (Hörsaalzentrum) of the TU Dresden, Bergstr. 64
Lecture theatre 4, entrance via the 3^rd  and 4^th floor (barrier-free)

Migration and populism are challenges for democracy and they can endanger social cohesion. However, does migration trigger social conflicts or is it more a case of problems, which already existed in society, being brought to the surface? How can immigration be organised democratically, thus, with the acceptance of the citizens? What is the right way to handle populism? How can local problems be solved without losing sight of national and global contexts in the process? How can social cohesion successfully be achieved in Saxony?

At the beginning of his term of office Minister-President Kretschmer gave a keynote speech focusing on pressing questions pertaining to the area of conflict between migration and democracy and answered questions from the audience.

Dr. Holger Kolb
Expert Council of German Foundations for Integration and Migration

Multiculturalism in Germany? The case study of German policy towards Islam

4 p.m., von-Gerber-Bau, Bergstr. 53, 2nd floor, Room 221