Forced Migration: A Syrian Exodus to Germany

Student's Name

Taylor Witt, Minnesota State University, Mankato

1st Student's Major

Government

1st Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Students' Professional Biography

I grew up in the small town of New Prague, Minnesota. In college, I have studied International Relations, with an emphasis on International Political Economy, and German Language and Culture. I currently work as a Regional Sales Manager for an electronic component manufacturer. Professionally, my goal is to one day work on researching and writing foreign policy.

Mentor's Name

Nadja Krämer

Mentor's Email Address

nadja.kramer@mnsu.edu

Mentor's Department

World Languages and Cultures

Mentor's College

Arts and Humanities

Abstract

The Syrian Civil War has killed over 500,000 people and displaced over 12 million since it began in 2011. The conflict has resulted in forced migration on a massive scale. Syrian people have been displaced within Syria, to the surrounding Arab states and to Europe. This has led to an immigration crisis in some parts of the European Union. Germany has become a primary destination for these refugees, but nationalist, xenophobic forces have started pushing back against what is perceived to be an invasion of foreigners into their land and their borders. This project examines the sentiments of German citizens in the time before the crisis reached its peak in 2015, and how those sentiments have changed since then. I seek to answer the question of how Syrian refugees are integrating within the borders of Germany by analyzing the actions and reactions of those involved when two distinguishable cultures meet. By considering their expressions, such as the artwork created by Syrian artist Manaf Halbouni and the policy agendas set by a German political party, this project reveals the complex intercultural relationship between Syrian refugees and Germans, people who have more in common than it may initially appear.

Recommended Citation

Witt, Taylor (2019) "Forced Migration: A Syrian Exodus to Germany," Journal of Undergraduate Research at Minnesota State University, Mankato: Vol. 19, Article 2.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.56816/2378-6949.1216
Available at: https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/jur/vol19/iss1/2

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