Thursday, April 14, 2016
Ormandy East (DoubleTree by Hilton Philadelphia Center City)
The recently heard inclusive claim that “Those people are German who speak German” seems to be in direct contrast to previous generations’ requirements for full citizenship that were based on phenotype, birthright, locale, allegiance, religion, or other criteria. What does it mean today to be a legitimate member of a European nation? What has it meant particularly in Germany, when either people moved, voluntarily or not, or the national borders moved around them? Are the legacies different for people living in the eastern and western parts of the country, and are these reflected in the kinds of social networks and service systems that have emerged? Who has legitimate claim to citizens’ educational and civic benefits? How do these larger discourses and practices apply, especially to those neighbors moving in from the south and east? This exploratory study will reflect on discussions with diverse constituencies during recent travel in central and western Europe and will consider some of the implications of the increasing pressures from mobility and migration on nationalism, identity, social service networks, education, and cultural change.
