Role of the host society in the integration process. Willkommenskultur in Germany

Abstract

Year 2015 was denoted with a huge influx of migrants and refugees in Europe, the event is known as a “refugee crisis”. This has made asylum policies one of the top issues on the political agenda and in public sphere. The countries have taken diverse approaches towards the crisis. Germany´s positive reaction towards refugees has been labelled a “Willkommenskultur”. The political level has eventually turned away from the Willkommenskultur, but the societal level has continued to exist and therefore the study`s focus is the societal level of Willkommenskultur which denotes the Willkommenskultur volunteering projects that provide support to refugees. Drawing from personal accounts and understandings of eight volunteers in Frankfurt, Germany, this thesis aims to understand the connection between the understanding of integration process, the role of the host society and the Willkommenskultur. Starting point is the definition of integration as a two-way process, which is further developed with Esser’s theory on social integration. Besides, this thesis seeks to scrutinize Willkommenskulur as a movement by using the New social movement theory.