Breaking News: Germany’s Rise of Anti-Immigration Sentiment: Should Canadian Researchers Worry About Post-Doc Opportunities?
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As a Canadian researcher considering a post-doctoral position in Germany, you may be wondering if the recent rise of anti-immigration sentiment and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s influence on the country’s politics should deter you from pursuing your academic dreams. The answer is complex, and it’s essential to understand the root causes of these tensions.
The AfD’s Rise to Prominence
The AfD, a far-right political party, has been gaining momentum in Germany since its inception in 2013. In the 2017 federal election, the party won 94 seats in the Bundestag, making it the third-largest party in the German parliament. The AfD’s anti-immigration stance and rhetoric have contributed to a growing sense of unease among some Germans, particularly regarding the influx of refugees and migrants in recent years.
Societal Factors Driving Anti-Immigration Sentiment
While xenophobia and racism are undeniable factors contributing to the rise of anti-immigration sentiment, other societal factors also play a significant role. Many Germans are concerned about the impact of immigration on housing, employment, and social services. The rapid influx of refugees and migrants has put pressure on the country’s infrastructure, leading to increased competition for jobs, housing, and resources.
Housing and Employment Concerns
Germany has been experiencing a housing crisis, with many cities facing shortages of affordable housing. The influx of immigrants has exacerbated this issue, as many refugees and migrants have been forced to live in temporary accommodations or share small apartments. Similarly, concerns about job security and employment opportunities have led some Germans to feel that immigrants are taking jobs away from them.
What Does This Mean for Canadian Researchers?
While it’s natural to feel concerned about the political climate in Germany, it’s essential to separate the AfD’s extreme views from the broader sentiments of the German people. Germany remains a welcoming and inclusive country, and the majority of Germans are not anti-immigrant.
Tips for Canadian Researchers
If you’re considering a post-doctoral position in Germany, here are some tips to keep in mind:
- Research, research, research: Learn about the local context, the university you’re applying to, and the research environment.
- Network: Reach out to academics and professionals in your field to gain insights into the current situation.
- Stay informed: Keep up-to-date with local news and developments, but don’t let fear or misinformation dictate your decisions.
- Focus on your research: Remember why you’re pursuing a post-doc in the first place – to advance your research and contribute to your field.
Conclusion
While the rise of anti-immigration sentiment and the AfD’s influence on German politics may be concerning, it’s essential to remember that these views do not represent the majority of Germans. With careful research, networking, and a focus on your research, you can successfully navigate the challenges and reap the rewards of pursuing a post-doctoral position in Germany.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story!
TLDR: Based on what I've seen through various media sources, the mass influx of refugees and immigrants to Germany over the past few decades has lead to political tensions in the country. Accordingly, nationalist/right-wing politics is rising and seem to have its foundation in anti-immigration views. What are the main targets of these views? Is this rooted in pure racism (eg race, religion, social norms etc) or is it driven my societal factors like less housing and employment availability? Id like to get the opinions from locals rather than from the media. For context, I am a born and raised Canadian with Indian background that is hoping to move to Germany for a post doctoral fellowship after I finish my PhD. Should the political tensions in Germany make me reconsider my options? Sorry in advance for the long post. Below, I give more context and offer my own views on immigration from what Ive seen in Canada.
First off I hope this post is allowed and know that I dont seek to offend anyone. I'm hopefully nearing the end of my PhD and am starting the search for a post doc. The many excellent research institutions (and the excellent resources available to them) in your country are a major reason why I'm interested in moving to your country for the next phase of my career (amongst many others). I've been to Germany twice in my life for short stays but I found people very friendly and loved the cities I travelled to.
Talking to a few German expats living in Canada, they all tell me I should avoid Germany because of rising political tensions within the country. I saw today that the Afd won a state election in the country for the first time in half a century and IIRC right wing nationalist parties in Germany won several EU elections earlier in the year. I'm not saying that this mentality is going to be widespread in Germany during the time I'm there but its a concerning trend. Is their platform primarily anti-immigration or is it really just anti-colored people? The narrative seems to change based on what news site I use, so I wanted to hear first hand from locals.
Its my understanding that Germany has been hit hard by waves of refugees over the last decade (particularly since the Arab spring movements). Likewise the country has seen increased waves of violence committed by (or blamed on) recent immigrants so I think its at least somewhat understandable for locals to lean towards an anti-immigration stance. In a different but related fashion, I see the same thing here in Canada where I live. My country has faced massive immigration problems over the past 5-6y, particularly from India. India has a massively different culture than Canada, and without getting into all the details, the large influx of Indian immigrants and their concentration in various cities has lead to quite a bit of tensions lately as there's less pressure to adopt the social norms of Canada. It also doesnt help that we have a huge housing crisis atm and rising unemployment is fueled by cheap govt subsidized labor coming from India.
For context, I am a born and raised Canadian with heritage that comes from India and was raised catholic. I feel both myself and my family are very westernized as my family really valued the importance of integration into Canadian culture when they moved here in the 70s. I truly believe that if one is to move to a new country, it is imperative that they make every effort to learn about the new countries language, culture and social norms (while still respecting their own heritage of course). If I were to move to Germany, I would do the same. Its necessary for social cohesion imo. Unfortunately, the rise of anti-Indian racism here is alarming to me…but I can 100% see where its coming from. I never once had issues with racism growing up and am fortunate to see that I still don't really experience it. But I see the hate online growing and in many ways I agree with some of their views (not the racist stances but the anti-immigration ones) as the new Indians give the rest of us a bad look. Many other Canadian-Indians feel the same way.
Sorry for all the rambling just wanted to provide some context. Does the situation here in Canada have any parallels with whats going on in Germany? Should I think twice about coming to Germany for a post doc? I don't want to be targeted by locals but at the same time, I also don't want to contribute to problems faced in your country. That said, if I do come, I'd have every intention to integrate myself into German culture, do my best to contribute to your society without interfering in matters I have no place to interfere with.
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It’s partially racism in the east, partially fear of loosing control over irregular immigration and thus having terrorists enter Germany unchecked and committing terrorist attacks here.
That another islamist stabbed people right before the state elections, in the town of Solingen, that isn’t exactly helping here.
Germany always had self-made problems with that whole topic. If we talk e.g. about the “Gastarbeiter”-Migrants from Turkey in the 20th century, they were welcomed here, but under the pretense of “They’re going to work here for a few years and then go back anyway” no actual integration work was done on part of the German Authorities. Even when they stayed for longer than anticipated and brought their families here, their kids were sent to seperate classes, seperate from German Kids, so no integration could happen there. It was absolutely bonkers.
But what is also true in Germany, as in any other nation of the world: Xenophobia has the biggest amount of followers, where there are the fewest foreigners. In cities, where you usually have a multi-cultural society, people are way less xenophobic. Even the cities in East Germany, they’re basically a modern, open-minded island in the vast sea of right wing extremist populism in East Germany.
So if you don’t plan to go to East Germany in General or stay within a city and if you learn even a bit of German, you should have no huge problems here.