Citizenship policy and the question of belonging in Germany

• Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies
• Migration Working Group
• MPC: Migration Policy Centre

Join this session that will explore the political and societal dimensions of migration and integration in Germany.

From local naturalisation practices to the role of the media, this event will feature two paper presentations highlighting how migration policy and representation diverge across local contexts. The first presentation will delve into the political and administrative factors driving locally diverging approaches to the implementation of citizenship law, offering qualitative insights from interviews with key stakeholders.

The second one will shift the focus to the historical representation of the "Gastarbeiter" in West Germany. It examines how media framing evolved and influenced societal attitudes toward migrant workers. The session reflects on notions of citizenship, Europeanness, and identity, highlighting how local governance and media narratives shape the experiences of migrants in Germany and contribute to broader discussions about integration and belonging.

The Migration Working Group (MWG) is a researcher-led research group, whose aim is to foster exchange on the latest, cutting-edge migration research and give the opportunity to early career scholars and PhD researchers to present their research.