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Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences

Made In Germany: Integration As Inside Joke In The Ethno-Comedy Of Kaya Yanar And Bülent Ceylan, Kathrin M. Bower Apr 2015

Made In Germany: Integration As Inside Joke In The Ethno-Comedy Of Kaya Yanar And Bülent Ceylan, Kathrin M. Bower

Kathrin M. Bower

As the largest “foreign” population in Germany, Turkish immigrants have been the primary target for concerns about integration and the impact of immigration on German culture. Since the founding of the first Turkish German cabaret in 1985 by Şinasi Dikmen and Muhsin Omurca, the misconceptions and one-sided expectations associated with integration have been played, parodied, and satirized by Turkish German performers. As producers of contemporary ethno-comedy, Kaya Yanar and Bülent Ceylan appeal to mass audiences with a new approach, inverting questions of integration by creating communities through laughter in which audiences are at once in on the joke and its …


Serdar Somuncu: Turkish German Comedy As Transnational Intervention, Kathrin M. Bower Apr 2015

Serdar Somuncu: Turkish German Comedy As Transnational Intervention, Kathrin M. Bower

Kathrin M. Bower

A reconceptualization of Germanness, combined with a reconsideration of what constitutes “Germanness” and “Turkishness” and how they are linked, is a central theme in the programs of a younger generation of Turkish German cabaret artists and comedians. As a member of the new generation of performers, Serdar Somuncu stands out, not only for his unapologetic embrace of political theater critical of both German and Turkish social politics, but also for his assertion of a right and responsibility to engage with Germany’s past, coupled with an insistence on differentiation and balanced comparison when discussing integration. After gaining notoriety through his Mein …


Serdar Somuncu: Reframing Integration Through A Transnational Politics Of Satire, Kathrin M. Bower Apr 2015

Serdar Somuncu: Reframing Integration Through A Transnational Politics Of Satire, Kathrin M. Bower

Kathrin M. Bower

Founded by Şinasi Dikmen and Muhsin Omurcu in Ulm in 1985, Knobi-Bonbon is widely recognized as the first Turkish German cabaret in the Federal Republic. Dikmen and Omurcu focused on ethnic stereotypes, integration, and coexistence in their early programs, with an emphasis on the German misunderstanding of integration as cultural assimilation (Boran 202, 219). With a run of successful performances, Knobi-Bonbon established a momentum that has carried through to the present day, making Turkish German comedy a fixture on the German stage. Responding to the wave of nationalism and xenophobia that followed in the wake of unification, Knobi-Bonbon’s shows became …


Minority Identity As German Identity In Conscious Rap And Gangsta Rap: Pushing The Margins, Redefining The Center, Kathrin M. Bower Apr 2015

Minority Identity As German Identity In Conscious Rap And Gangsta Rap: Pushing The Margins, Redefining The Center, Kathrin M. Bower

Kathrin M. Bower

After rap entered the German music scene in the 1980s, it developed into a variety of styles that reflect Germany's increasingly multiethnic social fabric. Politically conscious rap assumed greater relevance after unification, focusing on issues of discrimination, integration, and xenophobia. Gangsta rap, with its emphasis on street conflict and violence, brought the ghetto to Germany and sparked debates about the condition of German cities and the erosion of civic consciousness. Alternately celebrated and reviled by the media, both styles utilize rap's synthesis of authenticity and performance to redefine the relationship between minority identity and German identity and debunk Leitkultur.


Job Acquisition, Retention, And Outcomes For Ethnic Minorities In Urban China, Reza Hasmath, Benjamin Ho Dec 2014

Job Acquisition, Retention, And Outcomes For Ethnic Minorities In Urban China, Reza Hasmath, Benjamin Ho

Reza Hasmath

This article estimates wage differentials between ethnic minorities and the Han majority in China. While Han-minority wage differentials estimated with regression analysis demonstrate little evidence for ethnic minority disadvantages, evidence looking at the process of ethnic minority job acquisition and retention suggests that minorities perceive they are at a disadvantage in the job search process. The article assesses potential factors for perceived disadvantages in China’s labor market such as discrimination, social network capital, and working culture.


National Identity, Nationalism, And The Organization Of The European Union, Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón Dec 2014

National Identity, Nationalism, And The Organization Of The European Union, Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón

Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón

Based on in-depth interviews and document analysis, this article examines the relationships between cultural identification and the process of European integration. It shows that French and Spanish people's cultural attachments to Europe as a common social organization is still very limited and reflects a concern for the defense of a national identity. This research contributes to our understanding of the European integration and to the theory of cultural identity by suggesting a dynamic paradigm that articulates the constitution of a formal organization with the process of cultural identity formation.


Latin American Immigrants In Indianapolis: Perceptions Of Prejudice And Discrimination, Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón, Katherine B. Novak Dec 2014

Latin American Immigrants In Indianapolis: Perceptions Of Prejudice And Discrimination, Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón, Katherine B. Novak

Antonio V. Menéndez Alarcón

The article focuses on immigrants’ interactions with the Indiana natives, with emphasis in the city of Indianapolis and its suburbs. More specifically, this study aims at providing an understanding of the experiences of Latin American immigrants with special attention to perceptions of prejudice and discrimination and to feelings of social exclusion. A substantial proportion of Latin American immigrants interviewed indicated that they considered Indiana natives to be prejudiced and that they had personally experienced discrimination. The study reveals specific examples of discrimination experienced by the immigrants at the work place, in housing, in stores, restaurants and by various service providers. …


Deterring The ‘Boat People’: Explaining The Australian Government's People Swap Response To Asylum Seekers, Jaffa Mckenzie, Reza Hasmath Dec 2012

Deterring The ‘Boat People’: Explaining The Australian Government's People Swap Response To Asylum Seekers, Jaffa Mckenzie, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

This article examines why Australia has taken a tough stance on ‘boat people’, through an analysis of the Malaysian People Swap response. The findings support the view that Australia’s asylum seeker policy agenda is driven by populism, wedge politics and a culture of control. The article further argues that these political pressures, in sum, hold numerous negative implications for the tone of Australia’s political debate, the quality of policy formulation, as well as for asylum seekers and refugees themselves.


From Job Search To Hiring To Promotion: The Labour Market Experiences Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath Dec 2010

From Job Search To Hiring To Promotion: The Labour Market Experiences Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

Drawing on micro-level census data and interviews with individual workers and employers, this article examines the job-search, hiring and promotion experiences of ethnic minority workers and jobseekers in Beijing. Labour market data indicate that ethnic minorities are at a disadvantage relative to the dominant Han ethnic group, particularly when it comes to employment in high-wage, skilled jobs. The evidence provided here suggests this may be attributable to gaps in the institutional framework that encourage reliance on social-network capital for job search, hiring and promotion. [Winner of the Society for the Study of Social Problems’ Poverty, Class, and Inequality Division Paper …


The Education Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath Dec 2010

The Education Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

This article investigates the operations of minority schools, and the subsequent on-the-ground experiences of ethnic minorities in Beijing at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The article suggests that the ‘inter-sectionality’ of ethnic identities, particularly minority-majority, rich-poor and urban-rural, must be factored in when examining the varying differences between minorities who have graduated from Beijing’s minority schools and non-Beijing ethnic minorities, who have enrolled in the capital city’s universities. The article draws upon recent statistical data, interviews with minority actors and public stakeholders, and participant observation in the city’s schools and universities.


De La Búsqueda De Empleo Al Ascenso. Experiencias De Las Minorías Étnicas En Pekín, Reza Hasmath Dec 2010

De La Búsqueda De Empleo Al Ascenso. Experiencias De Las Minorías Étnicas En Pekín, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

Valiéndose de datos del censo y de entrevistas personales, el autor estudia las experiencias laborales de los trabajadores y solicitantes de empleo de Pekín pertenecientes a minorías étnicas. Los datos del mercado de trabajo indican que estas personas se hallan en desventaja respecto de la etnia han, que es la dominante, sobre todo en el acceso a los puestos más cualificados y mejor remunerados. Las comprobaciones del autor dejan entrever que ello puede achacarse a las lagunas de que adolece el orden laboral y que fomentan la dependencia de las redes sociales en este terreno. [Winner of the Society for …


Recherche D’Emploi, Embauche Et Promotions Le Vécu Des Minorités Ethniques Sur Le Marché Du Travail De Beijing, Reza Hasmath Dec 2010

Recherche D’Emploi, Embauche Et Promotions Le Vécu Des Minorités Ethniques Sur Le Marché Du Travail De Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

S'appuyant sur les microdonnées d'un recensement et les entretiens qu'il a menés auprès de travailleurs et d'employeurs, l'auteur examine la recherche d'emploi, l'embauche et la promotion des personnes issues des minorités ethniques à Beijing. Les données indiquent que les minorités ethniques sont défavorisées par rapport à l'ethnie dominante Han, notamment en ce qui concerne les emplois qualifiés offrant un salaire élevé. Les entretiens individuels menés par l'auteur montrent que ce handicap peut être dû aux failles de la structure institutionnelle qui favorisent le recours aux réseaux sociaux lors de la recherche d'emploi, de l'embauche et des promotions. [Winner of the …


The Big Payoff? Educational And Occupational Attainments Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath Dec 2007

The Big Payoff? Educational And Occupational Attainments Of Ethnic Minorities In Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

Ethnic minority development in Beijing has been marred by deep-seated historical experiences of strained ethnic relations. In spite of this situation, this article demonstrates that ethnic minorities in the capital city have achieved greater educational attainments than the dominant, Han group. Yet, when it comes to their occupational outcomes in high-wage, education-intensive (HWEI) sectors, minorities seemingly pay an ‘ethnic penalty’. That is, the Han demographic are disproportionately represented in HWEI occupational sectors. Building upon previous evidence, this article discusses this discrepancy and offers suggestions for improvement. [Winner of the European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes’ Research Prize for …


The Paradox Of Ethnic Minority Development In Beijing, Reza Hasmath Dec 2006

The Paradox Of Ethnic Minority Development In Beijing, Reza Hasmath

Reza Hasmath

The educational attainments of Beijing’s permanent ethnic minority population out perform or are on par with the dominant, local Hans. Yet, the Han demographic disproportionately dominates the high-wage, education-intensive employment sectors. What accounts for this paradox? What does this signify regarding the management of ethnic difference in the capital city? And how do we improve this situation? Drawing upon recent research, this paper will offer sociological explanations to answer these questions. Moreover, it will further suggest strategies for enhancing the development of ethnic minorities in Beijing.


"Visions Of Me In The Whitest Raw Light": Assimilation And Doxic Whiteness In Chang-Rae Lee's 'Native Speaker', Tim Engles Jan 1997

"Visions Of Me In The Whitest Raw Light": Assimilation And Doxic Whiteness In Chang-Rae Lee's 'Native Speaker', Tim Engles

Tim Engles

In Chang-rae Lee's first novel, 'Native Speaker,' the protagonist is jolted by the death of his son and the subsequent departure of his wife into intensification of a lifelong identity crisis. The book's guiding metaphor, figured in Henry Park's job as a spy, cleverly elucidates the immigrant's stance as a watchful outsider in American society, but Henry's double life also figures largely in his equally representative struggles to decide for himself what kind of person he is. As a child of immigrant parents, Henry is, in Pierre Bourdieu's useful terms, endowed with a bifurcated "habitus," two sets of culturally induced …