Konsequenzen der demographischen Entwicklung für das politische System Deutschlands

Die deutsche Bevölkerung schrumpft und altert in zunehmendem Umfang und Tempo. Die Implosion der deutschen Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft und Politik kann auf die Dauer nur durch vermehrte Geburten aufgehalten werden. Bis dies gelingt, können die Folgen des Schrumpfungs- und Alterungsprozesses nur durch verstärkte Zuwanderung abgemildert werden. Damit wird die politische, soziale und kulturelle Integration von Zuwanderern zu einer zentralen Herausforderung für die Politik und die Bürger Deutschlands. Die notwendige Integration der Zuwanderung kann nur gelingen, wenn von der einheimischen Bevölkerung kultureller Pluralismus weit mehr als bisher als legitime Dimension demokratischer Gesellschaften „akzeptiert“ wird. Ohne diese Akzeptanz wird die Integration scheitern.Germany’s population is both shrinking and ageing at an increasing rate. In the long term, the implosion of the economy, German society and Germany’s political system can be halted only by a rise in the birth rate. However, until such time as this happens, the consequences of population depletion and ageing can only be mitigated by increased levels of inward migration. This will in turn make the integration of immigrants - politically, socially and culturally - a central challenge for Germany’s politicians and citizens. If this essential process of integration is to be successful, the indigenous population will have to accept cultural pluralism as a legitimate dimension of a democratic society to a far greater degree than has previously been the case. Without such acceptance, integration will fail

Multiculturalism and Ethnic Minorities in Europe. ZEI Discussion Papers: 2001, C87

[Foreword]. In the past year immigration and asylum, multiculturalism and race relations have been high up the political agenda in Germany and the UK. Both countries are home to a diverse range of ethnic communities, religions, cultures and languages. These communities enrich our societies and are a source of strength and innovation. But multiculturalism also presents challenges. How do we give people the rights and status they require to integrate into society, while maintaining social cohesion? How can we ensure our institutions do not discriminate against minority ethnic groups? How should our societies combat the fears and anxieties amongst our indigenous populations about levels of immigration? What does it mean to be British or German? The UK and Germany have traditionally taken different approaches to meeting these challenges. But it is important for us to co-operate increasingly closely, both bilaterally and within the EU. These issues have become all the more pertinent, in the light both of EU enlargement, which will extend freedom of movement to hundreds of thousands more people; and of demographic change throughout the EU, which is leading to increasing willingness on the part of governments to open up their labour markets to immigrants. The British Embassy Berlin and the Center for European Integration, Bonn (ZEI) addressed these questions at a seminar held in Berlin on 1 December 2000. We focused particularly on what governments can and should do to combat racism and promote integration; on the lessons the UK and Germany can learn from one another; and on the role of the European Union and the impact of increasing numbers of ethnic minorities and foreigners in the EU on European identity. The contributions to this seminar are reproduced here, with the aim of contributing to a deeper debate, of vital importance to Europe's future. Table of Contents: Opening Remarks, by Paul Lever; Introduction, by Ludger Kühnhardt; Creating a Multicultural Europe: the British approach, by Baroness Scotland; Integrating Foreigners: a German view, by Cornelie Sonntag-Wolgast; Multiculturalism – Enrichment of Society or Cause for Conflict?, by Dieter Oberndörfer, Trevor Phillips, and Barbara John; Combating Racism and Promoting Integration – The Role of Government, by Josef Voß, Vural Öger, and Gurbux Singh; Ethnic Minorities in the Light of European Integration, by Pál Csáky, Elizabeth Meehan, and Peter Fleissner

IMIS-Beiträge Heft 30

Dieter Oberndörfer: Nation, Multikulturalismus und Migration – auf dem Weg in die postnationale Republik?; Barbara Franz: Fortress America? Efforts in Fence Building, Controlling Migration, and the Creation of a New Managed Migration System; Mariella Franz: Familienzusammenführung in der Einwanderungspolitik der Europäischen Union. Rechtsfragen aus dem Europa- und Völkerrecht; Renate Nestvogel: Integrationsverständnisse von Afrikanerinnen in Deutschland; Marina Liakova und Dirk Halm: Geschichtsbewusstsein von Jugendlichen mit Migrationshintergrund; ANHANG: Can Aybek: Bericht zur Tagung ›Theoretische Grundlagen der empirischen Migrationsforschung‹ der Sektion ›Migration und ethnische Minderheiten‹ der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie (DGS), 18./19. Mai 2006 in Münche