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WiSe 20/21: Immigration in Germany: people and place, policies and politics

Daniel Louis Nethery

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Subject: On 1 March 2020 a new law encouraging skilled immigration to Germany came into force. Some two weeks later, in response to the pandemic, the borders were closed. The pandemic has brought with it a stark reminder that migration is, in the last resort, a matter of government policy. Program: In this course we will situate German immigration policy today in the context of immigration and immigration policy in Germany over time. We will cover the most important episodes of migration and its restriction in Germany since 1945 and compare these with the often neglected history of migration in Germany before the second world war. You will learn how concepts of migration and immigration relate to national and economic ideology and how these evolve with social and political change. By the end of the course you will have a broad overview of the history of migration in Germany, the connections between that history and government policy, and the way history and policy impinge on the politics of immigration in Germany today. Assessment: To obtain 5 ECTS points you will need to attend the course regularly, engage with the course materials, and pass the final examination. Prerequisites: This course is open to students in the humanities, social sciences and cultural studies. Practicalities: There will be no class in week 1 (6 November), weeks 5 and 6 (4 and 11 December) or week 13 (12 February). In those weeks you will complete, online, exercises based on the course materials. close