Cultural identity and multicultural claim-making in the UK and Germany Research project under supervision of Prof. F. Anthias Dr. T. Miller Author: Jana Pecenka Brookes University

Multiculturalism in Britain and Germany BritainGermany developed vocabulary "ethnic minorities", "community" multiculturalism as a programme start in 60's US influence "race relations industry" undeveloped vocabulary "guestworkers", "foreign employee, "foreign co- citizen", "foreigner" start in 80's with different emphasis

Low profile of W-German multiculturalism Composition of immigrant populations Unresolved question of belonging (citizenship law) "Germany is not a country of immigration" Lack of institutions and legislation BUT... Multiculturalism through the "back door" Growing multiculturalism through changes in citizenship law and institutions?

Multiculturalism: de-facto and official Introduced 2003 by Joppke and Morawska De-facto multiculturalism: political reality with "many facets, from the principled protection of rights to pragmatic concessions in the interest of public health or security" Official multiculturalism: "deliberate and explicit recognition and protection of ethnic groups by the state"

Research on multiculturalism? New wave of "assimilation"? (e.g. Netherlands, Sweden)? Multicultural Britain: From Anti-Racism to Identity Politics to …? Uncertain future of multiculturalism in Germany BUT… identity debates are alive lack of empirical research

Multiculturalism Dominated by normative considerations: Cultural rights protection? Liberal principles and multicultural policies? Public/privat distinction?... Assumptions: the ethnic/cultural group as an agent usefulness of working with identity essences cultural identity as central element

This project: Claim-making in the UK and Germany Does not focus on identity directly, but on the process of claim-making. Examines participants’ claim articulation and claim support. Examines the "cultural group" within particular context.

Central questions What motivates claim supporters? Cultural difference? Sameness? How and when do individuals support claims? What factors influence the articulation of cultural identity in the process of claim-making? In what ways does the environment influence the articulation of claims? How does "group identity" work in claim-making?

Claims Germany: 1) Muslim faith school in a city in Western Germany: 30 places, opening planned for 2007, organised by a mosque, funded by mosque members 2) Vietnamese-Buddhist temple in a city in Eastern Germany, very large project, funded by Buddhists Britain: 3) Sikh faith school, large project, state funded, 420 places and 52- place nursery 4) Muslim faith school, opening planned for 2007 or 2008, organised by a mosque, state funded

Some preliminary results Role of identity "The cultural" and other reasons Importance of individual biographies Strong role of discrimination experiences Role of environment Discourses and vocabulary The awareness and use of categories Claim-making as a response: the example of language

Future Multicultural Britain: From Anti-Racism to Identity Politics to…? Germany: From foreigner integration policies to ethnic minorities relations?