Research Proposal

Zwischen Ausländerfeindlichkeit und Integration-

Das Deutschtürkische Leben in Berlin

(Between Xenophobia and Integration- The Life of a Turkish-German in Berlin)

Research Question:

What is the relationship between official state policy on Deutschtürken (their rights, etc.) and the perception among this immigrant community on their place within Berlin/German society, and their life under these policies?

Research Methods:

To understand law and policy:

- Interviews at the Bundestag with Die Linke (The Left Party), SPD (Social Democratic Party)

- Interviews with Turkish politicians in the regional Parliament: Evrim Baba (Berlin HOR, PDS), Dilek Kolat (Berlin HOR, SPD), Özcan Mutlu (Berlin HOR, Grüne), Bilkay Öney (Berlin HOR, Grüne), Ülker Radziwill (Berlin HOR, SPD), Giyasettin Sayan (Berlin HOR, PDS)

- Familiarizing myself with the current debate through German law review articles

- Meetings with Humboldt Law Forum faculty to discuss their perspective on the issue

- Re-reading the German Constitution

- Reading Humboldt University’s (and FUB’s) Anti-discrimination policy

- Discourse with UW faculty and graduate students currently studying Islam in the EU

- Review of German Islam Conference held March 13^th

- An understanding of the debate and policies between Erdogan (Turkey) and Merkel (Germany) concerning assimilation and integration (they have diametrically opposed views on the subject)

To understand the Turkish/Immigrant Perspective:

- Case study with a Turkish family

- Visiting the Turkish markets in Berlin

- Visiting Mosques in Kreuzberg

- Meetings with the head of the Islamic Community in Berlin- Islamic Society in Germany (IGD) and VIKZ (Association of Islamic Cultural Centers)

- Talking with shop owners at Dönerkebaps