Area 4 — Adaptation, Migration, and Multicultural Belonging
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Why the Next Stranger Is Strange Again
The article discusses how societies often forget the complex histories behind their integration of newcomers. Despite familiarity with previous migrations, new arrivals encounter challenges similar to those faced by earlier groups. It emphasizes the importance of remembering both successes and struggles in the adaptation process, advocating for a proactive approach to foster inclusion.
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How a Stranger Becomes a Neighbour
The article discusses how individuals can transition from being strangers to neighbors, exploring the conditions necessary for shared belonging. It emphasizes the importance of recognition, cooperation, security, and participation in a shared future. Successful integration requires building relationships that acknowledge cultural differences while ensuring individuals feel valued and secure within their communities.
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France: Equal Citizens, Unequal Recognition
The article examines how the concept of universal belonging can acknowledge differences without enforcing divisions, particularly in the context of France’s republican ideals and colonial history. It emphasizes the importance of equal citizenship while addressing unequal experiences. The analysis suggests that recognizing differences can enhance a unified identity if it leads to addressing discrimination and…
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Britain: When Yesterday’s Stranger Becomes Tradition
This article examines the dynamics of belonging in Britain, particularly how cultural contributions can shift perceptions of membership. It explores the historical context of migration, empire, and citizenship, emphasizing that acceptance does not automatically guarantee equality. The relationship between cultural familiarity and institutional recognition remains complex and requires ongoing engagement and accountability.
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Germany After Reunification
The article explores how the reunification of Germany affected both established residents and migrants, highlighting the complexities of belonging and recognition. It emphasizes the differing experiences of insecurity and the need for society to address various challenges without fostering competition for resources. The historical context reveals implications for newcomers amid ongoing struggles for acceptance.
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Germany: Needed but Not Expected to Belong
The article discusses the complex interactions between labor migration and social belonging in Germany’s historical context. It highlights how different labor systems in West and East Germany shaped migrants’ experiences, relationships, and recognition within society. Despite initial temporary roles, many migrants cultivated deeper connections, challenging conventional narratives of migration and belonging.
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Who Is the Host, and Who Is the Guest?
In Article 1, we examined how people interpret an unfamiliar arrival. Here, we turn to the expectations surrounding that arrival: what newcomers can reasonably be asked to learn, what established communities need to make possible, and how a shared home can retain coherence while its membership changes.
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When the Stranger Arrives
An arrival can evoke curiosity, relief, friendship, opportunity, indifference, worry, or hostility. The same person may feel several of these things. This series begins with the moment when people become present in one another’s lives, before they necessarily understand what that presence will mean.
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Area 4 — Adaptation, Migration, and Multicultural Belonging, Human Connection Case Studies, Human Connection in Real Life, Human Connection Project – ENWhen People Feel Their World Is Changing Too Fast — Part 3: When Protection Becomes Separation
The article discusses the dynamics of human separation within political contexts, particularly analyzing how a protective mindset can lead to polarization and social separation. The Saxony-Anhalt case illustrates how perceived threats give rise to defensive behaviors, reinforcing divided identities and interpretations among opposing groups, ultimately complicating dialogue and hindering cooperation.
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Area 4 — Adaptation, Migration, and Multicultural Belonging, Human Connection Case Studies, Human Connection in Real Life, Human Connection Project – ENWhen People Feel Their World Is Changing Too Fast — Part 2: How Rebalancing Becomes Identity and Protection
This article explores the dynamics of identity and protection within the context of political movements, particularly focusing on the Saxony-Anhalt case. It examines how political participation evolves from agency to recognition, leading to a sense of belonging that influences social identity and ultimately polarizes communities, shaping perceptions of inclusion and exclusion.