Melting Pot? A History of (Forced) Migration in Modern Germany

This course provides insights into Germany’s turbulent migrant history since the 19th century. Responding to problems back home and opportunities in the German lands, ethnic and religious minorities as well as ethnic Germans from the East have moved to Germany throughout the past 200+ years, but despite this, Germany has never thought of itself as an immigrant country or owning a diverse culture. This course will show to what extent migrants have challenged and shaped modern Germany, be they Ruhrpolen, refugees, expellees or Gastarbeiter, and it will provide a historical, theoretical and terminological framework to discuss and assess the current refugee crisis that has brought over one million migrants to Germany in 2015 alone.

Required Texts: Texts will be available for purchase at the College Bookstore, and other materials will be made available via the course’s course management website.