This study investigates the manifestation of Islamophobia in Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires and its effect on the Muslim communities. By looking at the historical context of migration and the...Show moreThis study investigates the manifestation of Islamophobia in Argentina’s capital of Buenos Aires and its effect on the Muslim communities. By looking at the historical context of migration and the current visibility of the community, this study demonstrates that Islamophobia is only limited experienced by the Muslim communities in the city due to a generally low level of islamophobia and high degree of efficient integration. Comparatively analysing the case of Buenos Aires to other case studies from predominantly catholic countries with an Islamic minority, this study finds that the current tendency of Islamophobia does not affect the integration of Muslims in the society of Buenos Aires. Furthermore, the Argentinean national identity and the Islamic religious identity co-exist and are currently not threatened by Islamophobia.Show less
Turkey has applied to be member of the European Community already in 1987. Up to this day however, it has not joined and the negotiations have come to a halt. The debate about whether Turkey should...Show moreTurkey has applied to be member of the European Community already in 1987. Up to this day however, it has not joined and the negotiations have come to a halt. The debate about whether Turkey should join the European Union and whether it is compatible with its community has been highly politicised over the last years. The discussion usually revolves around whether Turkey is Eu- ropean enough to be a part of the Union, whether it fulfils all the fundamental criteria to join on an economic, political and social level as well as whether Turkey’s membership would bring about a form of cultural clash. The discourse around the topic and the language employed by policy makers has so far not been as well researched. This paper therefore explores the following research questi- on: “What is the role of an ‘othering’ discourse in the Turkey EU membership negotiations?”. It explores the theoretical framework of Othering and how it connects to the concept of Orientalism. Building on how Europe historically defines itself against an Other, both sides will be analysed on their language. Using methods of critical discourse analysis, the language of Turkish and EU insti- tutional policy makers is examined. Based on this research, tentative conclusions are drawn about the underlying meaning of speeches and remarks and how they fit into the framework of Othering.Show less
Migration has been one of the most prevailing issues in European public, political and academic debate over the last few years. Due to its specific geographical location within Europe and its...Show moreMigration has been one of the most prevailing issues in European public, political and academic debate over the last few years. Due to its specific geographical location within Europe and its reputation as a stable welfare state, Austria has become an important country of asylum. Today, it is one of the European countries which hosts most asylum seekers relative to its population. At the same time, politically and legally, Austria embodies one of the most conservative integration regimes in Western Europe. At a societal level, integration is widely negatively connoted―especially with reference to Muslim immigrants―and islamophobia and hostility towards Muslims has increased. In the light of the recent inflow of migrants from Muslim-majority countries, Austria seems to be forced to effectively engage with the adoption of integration measures that fit a country of immigration with sensibility towards the general public’s islamophobic tendencies. To investigate into the topic further, my thesis aims at covering integration from three perspectives: the role of the Austrian government, the predominant perceptions of Austria's society and of immigrants from the Middle East, including my own data collection. My thesis therefore focuses on the following question: What are some of the legal, political and socio-cultural aspects that have influenced and determined the integration process of Middle Eastern immigrants in Austria since 9/11?Show less
