Final Write Up

Final Paper Write-up


Project Question:

For the Berlin Program I wanted to explore German nationality and investigate how
weak or strong the concept of a German national identity was when faced with
immigration. For the purposes of the program and the time constraints of the project I
only looked at Berliner identity and how it is influenced or is continuously being
influenced by immigration. Do Berliners completely embrace immigration and if not,
what does that say about Germany?

In the globalized world that we live in today immigration is a growing concern and an issue that countries are trying to tackle as borders become more porous and open to outsiders. Immigration is one of the key aspects that is making the world we live increasingly globalized as we speak. It is also an indicator as to how much a state is willing to give up or unwilling to give up power and control.

Background:

The issue I want to look at by asking and investigating these questions is back to the question of German nationality. I had heard in a lecture during the Honors in Berlin Spring course conducted at the University of Washington that Germany was one of the foremost countries willing to embrace a European identity. This statement was shocking and surprising to me because acquiring a transnational identity requires a transformation of one’s national identity where the national identity does not take precedence any more. How willing or ready are individuals to embrace an identity other than their national one? Moreover, how willing is the state when it is faced with giving up aspects of its sovereignty? In other words, if a country is willing to embrace a transnational identity, then the nation-state is also willing to allocate some of its power to the international governing body. This is easier said than done, especially in Europe, where the concept of the nation-state was first formed and through much bloodshed and violence. Furthermore, it took centuries for nation-states to establish sovereignty and some states in this world system are still in the battlegrounds trying to establish sovereignty and territorial boundaries.

In order to see how much Germany has progressed in accepting a transnational identity I looked at its immigration policy because immigration, the flow of bodies across borders, is an inevitable consequence of globalization. If Germany is embracing an increasingly globalized world than this also means that Germany must come to terms with immigration. Has Germany been exposed to enough diversity to be able to really understand immigrants?

Currently, Germany advocates a “hands off” policy allowing immigrants to live in Germany but making it difficult for immigrants to integrate in society. Thus, denying immigrants citizenship and the benefits, protection, and rights that come with this prized status. Then the bigger question that begs to be asked is, if Germany is still hesitant for foreigners to pass through their borders, can we see Germany being able to accept a transnational identity and its responsibilities, not only in theory but in actual practice?

My Findings and Observations:

As a daughter of Korean immigrants and being an American citizen at the same time, it has given me the fortunate opportunity to really be immersed in diversity and multicultural experiences. Having lived in California and currently in Seattle, seeing familiar faces like mine have been commonplace and “looking different” really isn’t that different, rather it is normal for multicultural cities such as Seattle. Before I went to Berlin, I assumed that Berlin would be a hubbub of diversity as well since I was told that Germany was progressive and was truly advocating an international identity other than its own. However, upon arriving in Berlin, my personal experiences told me otherwise. Looking different was not commonplace and there wasn’t as much ethnic diversity as I thought there would be. The Turkish immigrant population was the largest in Berlin but in terms of more cultural diversity, Berlin was still lacking in its exposure to different cultures.

I was greeted by “ni hou-ma” on many occasions, which were uncomfortable and annoying at times but was soon something I had gotten used to. Berliners simply assumed that since I looked “Asian” I would be Chinese even though the largest Asian population in Berlin was Vietnamese. At first, I thought that Berliners simply lacked cultural sensitivity but as the days progressed I realized, it wasn’t a lack of cultural sensitivity but a lack of exposure to cultural diversity.

My interviewees were all from different generations and all of them agreed that immigration and the cultural diversity it brought to Berlin was a positive thing. Professor Markus, an academic, really supported the acceptance of a European identity and saw multiculturalism as a benefit. This sentiment was also shared by the apartment Hausmeister who had lived in Berlin since 1969, experiencing firsthand the Berlin Wall, the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the gradual influx of foreigners into Berlin after the opening up of Germany. He had a wealth of fascinating information that really helped me see things at a perspective I had not thought of before. I had asked him if he thought Germany was more inclined to accept a European identity and his response was quite interesting. He stated that if a person feels secure in his “homeland” then that person is more willing to take the next step and accept something new. At first I was confused and asked him what he meant by this. He then reiterated his answer by talking about the Romas as an example. Romas wander around without any “homeland,” without any sense of security in terms of firm national roots so they do not have the option of accepting a transnational identity when they do not have a national identity in the first place. For many Romas, it is about living in the moment, day to day, to make a living and survive.

The hausmeister’s interesting logic as to why he thought Germans might be willing to accept a European identity was a perspective I had not thought of before. Whether his logic is true or not is not necessarily what I am concerned about. Just the realization of how differently people think with the experiences and observations they had during their lifetime was fascinating and captivated my attention.
We can take the hausmeister’s logic and flip it on its head stating that the ability for Germans to embrace a transnational identity would be more difficult if they felt secure in their national identity. Would one be willing to shed the familiar and take the risk towards something unfamiliar? However, due to Germans tragic history, it is generally agreed upon that Germans are very sensitive towards showing any outwards signs of national pride. But this does not necessarily mean that their national identity is weak or that due to the belligerent and violent history of Germany in the 20th century, Germans wish they were not German. One can still have strong feelings about their national identity but that does not mean he or she must be proud of what their country has done. My point that I am trying to get at is that due to the lack of cultural exposure (the hausmeister as well as Professor Markus also agreed that there wasn’t enough multicultural diversity in Germany yet) and the handling of immigrants is indicative that Germany still has quite strong national sentiments among its people. Although there are those, like Professor Markus and the Hausmeister, who have more opportunities to be in contact with different people, evidence of just walking around the city and being called Chinese everywhere I went, one could not help but see that cultural awareness was very low.

But through my experiences of Berlin as a city, the potential for Berlin to be more culturally aware and progressive towards immigration was very positive. The exploration of the history of Berlin and trying to “read” or “translate” the city made me see that Berlin was a city of continual change. Berlin seemed to be a city constantly struggling with its history of being once split by international forces during the Cold War and the question of how to deal with preserving this history, written all over its walls and buildings, was always in contestation. With an environment that continuously is on the cusp of change, I cannot help but hope that such dynamics will also mean a more positive reception for immigrants and a policy that focuses more on integration than a “let them be” attitude.

Challenges and Conclusions

As a Korean, my looks were markedly different from Germans and Europeans in general. I had never had so many curious stares in my life and had never felt so different. Yet, at the same time I came to appreciate my differences all the more. It was a learning experience for me because I began to really explore what made me different and I began to see myself as beautiful. A way of trying to stick up and make my way through a sea of white, I felt that I had to embrace my differences rather than hide them in order to avoid being washed away with the tide. This was a quite a struggle and a challenge because the constant confrontations with curious stares and sometimes the overwhelming sense of being different made me extremely self-conscious and at times embarrassed.

From my interviews and the experimental environment of Berlin, the future for Berlin and progressive change towards immigration is in the horizon. I came to the realization that Berliners did not call me or greet me by “ni hou ma” to make fun of me but because they thought they were doing something good. They thought it would be more welcoming to greet me in an Asian language. I believe that Berlin is not too far off from being more multicultural and the generally positive reception that Berliners have towards immigration bodes well for the future.