Remaking citizenship or fostering profit? German Business sector engagement and refugee integration

Description

Abstract: In a global climate where refugees are increasingly seen as a threat to national identity and security, rather than as population groups in need of humanitarian compassion or global rights, the business sector has become a key actor at the forefront of engagement with refugee populations. A pertinent example is the case of Germany. When German chancellor Angela Merkel opened German borders for refugees in the summer of 2015, many German companies regarded her move as welcome way to overcome labour shortages and future demographic bottle-necks. In turn, business leaders were from the start key actors in the development of integration policies. This paper discusses if business sector engagement with refugee integration in Germany through the Wir Zusammen [We Together] initiative can result in altered citizenship practices and thus go beyond a classical humanitarian response. The movement of large numbers of refugees into Germany is a pertinent case study as it provides a prototypical example of wider dynamics that are a key characteristic of contemporary forms of globalisation, where the geography of the state intersects with the global geography of corporate business interests, often overriding the engagement of conventional humanitarian actors.

Period	26 Mar 2019 → 30 Mar 2019
Event title	ISA Annual Convention 2019
Event type	Conference
Location	Toronto, CanadaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International