Today immigration is a red-hot issue in many different countries and has a huge impact on the advancement of societies. This term paper therefore firstly provides an overview of the ‘new immigration’ period in the U.S. Secondly, it will elucidate some of the different repercussions of immigration, including concepts such as ‘nativism’, ‘cultural pluralism’, or ‘melting pot’, which concern a society´s development faced with an enormous number of new immigrants. In order to compare this situation with that in Germany, an analysis of the depiction of the immigration situation in Germany in the online magazine Spiegel Online will be presented. The next paragraph will examine the similarities and disparities in the development and depiction of immigration in Germany and America, and the last paragraph will summarise the most pivotal facts contained in this term paper.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Terms and Definitions
2.1 New Immigration
2.2 Nativism
2.3 Cultural Pluralism
2.4 Melting Pot
3. Development in the U.S. concerning the new immigration
4. Discourse on Immigration in Germany and the U.S.
4.1 Exposure of the refugee situation in Germany in the magazine Spiegel Online
4.2 Similarities and disparities of the discourse and development today in Germany and back in the day in the U.S.
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
The paper aims to analyze and compare the discourse and development regarding immigration in the U.S. during the late 19th century with the current refugee situation in Germany, focusing on societal reactions and media representation.
- The historical 'new immigration' wave in the United States.
- Societal concepts such as Nativism, Cultural Pluralism, and the Melting Pot.
- Media coverage of the refugee crisis in the German magazine Spiegel Online.
- Comparative analysis of similarities and disparities between historical U.S. and contemporary German discourse.
- The impact of immigration on societal cohesion and political responses.
Excerpt from the book
2.2 Nativism
In view of the fact that the Dillingham Commission Report aroused concern about the loss of national values, the concept of ‘nativism’ is indubitably associated with this wave of new immigration, although it originally stemmed from the anti-foreign and anti-catholic attitude from original settlers in the 1840ies. This approach was a response to the ever increasing number of immigrants who arrived in the U.S. in the twenties and thirties. (Baker, par. 1-3)
According to the Cambridge Dictonary the term ‘nativism’ describes generally “the political idea that people who were born in a country are more important than immigrants“ (Cambridge Dictionary), and most of the time, there is no liaison between the emergence of nativism and war, international conflicts or a particular historical incident. For nativists the main conflict issue is that they consider themselves to be the only true ‘native’ Americans.
Regarding American history in the nineteenth century, the notion of ‘nativism’ refers to the anti-immigrant point of view. After the first upsurge of nativism in the beginning of the nineteenth century, the second increase in nativism commenced in the 1880s when a great number of ‘new immigrants’ entered the country. In light of the fact that among the immigrants were many Catholics from Italy and Eastern Europe, the nativists were alarmed by how much change there could be to their culture. (Rubin, Boyer and Casper 55) Furthermore, they competed for jobs because the immigrants worked for longer and harder for less pay. Unsurprisingly, this upset the people who had been living in the U.S. before and strengthened the conception of nativism. In order to try to reduce immigration, the proponents of the nativism wave “used racial and evolutionary vocabularies” (Rubin, Boyer and Casper 58) Furthermore, this new nativist effort emerged in the period when influential public figures, including major reformers such as Woodrow Wilson and Theodore Roosevelt, themselves seized on racist theories.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the historical context of immigration waves in the U.S. and defines the paper's goal of comparing these historical developments with the modern refugee discourse in Germany.
2. Terms and Definitions: This chapter defines key sociological concepts, including 'new immigration', 'nativism', 'cultural pluralism', and the 'melting pot', which are essential for understanding the immigration discourse.
3. Development in the U.S. concerning the new immigration: This section explores the rapid urban growth and resulting societal tensions in the U.S. during the late 19th century, driven by a massive influx of new immigrants.
4. Discourse on Immigration in Germany and the U.S.: This chapter provides a detailed analysis of Spiegel Online's reporting on the refugee situation in Germany and systematically compares these findings with historical U.S. immigration developments.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the findings, noting that both historical and modern contexts reflect a divided society, with reactions ranging from welcoming cultures to nativist opposition.
Keywords
Immigration, Nativism, Cultural Pluralism, Melting Pot, Spiegel Online, Refugee Crisis, Integration, Assimilation, Xenophobia, United States, Germany, Societal Change, Discourse Analysis, Demographics, Ethnic Minorities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this term paper?
The paper examines and compares the discourse and societal developments regarding immigration in the U.S. during the late 19th century with the current refugee situation in Germany.
What are the primary thematic fields covered in the text?
The core themes include historical immigration waves, definitions of societal models like the 'melting pot' vs 'cultural pluralism', media analysis of the German refugee crisis, and the phenomenon of nativism.
What is the central research objective?
The objective is to identify parallels and differences in how two different nations respond to large-scale immigration and to understand how these responses are represented in the public discourse.
Which scientific methods are applied?
The paper utilizes a qualitative literature review of historical definitions and a comparative discourse analysis based on reporting from the news magazine Spiegel Online.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers theoretical definitions, the history of U.S. 'new immigration', a detailed analysis of media coverage on German refugees, and a comparative evaluation of both scenarios.
Which keywords best describe this academic work?
The key concepts are Immigration, Nativism, Cultural Pluralism, Melting Pot, and the comparative discourse between historical U.S. experiences and contemporary German policy.
How does the magazine Spiegel Online balance its refugee reporting?
The magazine attempts to provide a nuanced perspective by juxtaposing reports on violent clashes and anti-refugee sentiment with success stories of integration and enrichment of society.
What role does the 'Dillingham Commission Report' play in the study?
It serves as a historical reference point that highlights the early 20th-century concerns about the impact of immigration on American nationhood and values, which informs the definition of nativism.
How are modern countermovements like PEGIDA or the AFD contextualized?
The author identifies these as contemporary equivalents to historical nativist sentiments, representing a segment of society that opposes immigration and fears the loss of national identity.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Ronja O. (Autor:in), 2016, Similarities and Disparities of Discourse of Immigration in Germany and the U.S., München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/368130
