The Impact of Immigrant Cultural Products on Social Integration An Anglo-German Literary Comparison Chantal Lacroix European Research Institute University of Birmingham

The Research in Summary Aim: To explore a new cross-disciplinary approach for researching and encouraging social integration. Aim: To explore a new cross-disciplinary approach for researching and encouraging social integration. Guiding question: Using literature as a proxy, what is the role and impact of immigrant cultural products on society’s integration process? Guiding question: Using literature as a proxy, what is the role and impact of immigrant cultural products on society’s integration process? Sub-queries: Sub-queries: do immigrant cultural products act as catalysts or deterrents to the immigrant integration process? do immigrant cultural products act as catalysts or deterrents to the immigrant integration process? can immigrant cultural products serve as indicators of the level of integration of migrant communities? and, can immigrant cultural products serve as indicators of the level of integration of migrant communities? and, can immigrant cultural products be used as a tool for promoting intercultural dialogue and social cohesion; and if so, in which ways? can immigrant cultural products be used as a tool for promoting intercultural dialogue and social cohesion; and if so, in which ways?

Why Germany and the United Kingdom? Amongst the leading immigrant-receiving countries of the EU (in absolute terms) Amongst the leading immigrant-receiving countries of the EU (in absolute terms) British and German integration policies are converging British and German integration policies are converging Focus on similar key policy tools: Focus on similar key policy tools: strong border control strong border control integration classes integration classes anti-discrimination measures anti-discrimination measures access to citizenship access to citizenship They offer different reception and status of immigrant literature They offer different reception and status of immigrant literature Key differences are Key differences are the colonial experience the colonial experience the British-American (and increasingly ‘Anglo’) connection the British-American (and increasingly ‘Anglo’) connection the varied reception and status of immigrant literature the varied reception and status of immigrant literature

Examining Social Integration

Why use Literature? Literature is ‘created by authors who have a history of socialisation in a particular class, genre and place and who are subject to a range of changing social pulls and pressures. [It is] created at a particular historical stage of society, which is never static; [it is] affected by a number of variants such as market situation and readership’ (Laurenson 1978, Sociological Review Monograph)

Initial Links Linking immigrant literature and social integration… Linking immigrant literature and social integration… highlights imagined form of community not bound by territory, history, and religion highlights imagined form of community not bound by territory, history, and religion explores an alternative path to social integration explores an alternative path to social integration examines the relationship between global axes of social and cultural contact, and their effect on identities examines the relationship between global axes of social and cultural contact, and their effect on identities

Research Design

Preliminary Research Results Role and impact of immigrant literature on the three spheres of integration: Economic, Social, Cultural * * * (1) The Economic Significance: Market Expansion and Penetration Economic Participation through Role Models (Results based solely on British-based research)

Preliminary Research Results (cont.) (2) The Social Significance: Stirring and Addressing the Racism ‘Debate’ An Overarching Symbol of Community (Results based solely on British-based research)

Preliminary Research Results (cont.) (3) The Cultural Significance: Facilitating Interculturalism Facilitating Interculturalism Redefining National Identification Redefining National Identification (Results based solely on British-based research)

Preliminary Conclusions What is the role and impact of immigrant cultural products on society’s integration process? What is the role and impact of immigrant cultural products on society’s integration process? A tool for promoting social integration A tool for promoting social integration A catalyst for social cohesion A catalyst for social cohesion A yardstick for measuring affective integration A yardstick for measuring affective integration

The Impact of Immigrant Cultural Products on Social Integration An Anglo-German Literary Comparison Chantal Lacroix European Research Institute University of Birmingham