In this paper, I will compare the motives as well as differences and similarities of American expatriation to European cities in two different time periods. For this, the research will look at the emigrant generation of the 1920s post-war Parisian literary community and, in a second step, this community of writers will be compared to today’s American expatriates in Berlin. The research aims at illustrating how those two periods have influenced the emigrants’ decision of leaving the country and what social circumstances of the respective time period in European centers have shaped the generation’s lifestyle.
The United States of America, once a country conquered, and then a nation founded, by various European nationalities, is the starting point of this paper. The century-long waves of immigration into this country give the historical justification of the U.S. as an immigrant nation. From this point of view, the movements of emigration away from this country over the last decades show a counterstream back to Europe. In this process of migration a tendency of being attracted to European urban centers characterizes American emigration.
Table of Contents
I INTRODUCTION
I a) Intention of Research
I b) Clarification of the Terms Expatriate, Sojourner, and Immigrant
I c) American Emigration to Europe
II AMERICAN IMMIGRATION TO EUROPE IN THE 1920S
II a) Motives for Departure
II b) Immigrant Communities
II c) Integration into the French Community
II c i) Learning the French Language
III AMERICAN EXPATRIATES IN BERLIN TODAY
III a) Methodology
III b) Presentation of the Interviewees
III c) Motives for Departure
III d) Immigrant Communities
III d i) Work-Related International Communities
IV WHAT COMES AFTER EXPATRIATION
IV a) Stay in Europe or Return to the US
IV b) Perspectives of the 1920s Expatriates
IV c) Today’s Berlin Expatriates’ Projects
V CONCLUSION
VI APPENDIX
VI a) Interviewees’ contact details
VI b) Interview Notes
VI c) German Summary
Research Objective and Topics
This paper aims to compare the motives and social circumstances of American expatriation to Europe during two distinct historical periods: the 1920s Parisian literary scene and the contemporary American expatriate community in Berlin. The study explores how these migrations were influenced by historical contexts, professional aspirations, and the desire for self-fulfillment in an international environment.
- Comparison of "Lost Generation" writers in 1920s Paris with modern expatriates in Berlin.
- Analysis of push and pull factors triggering emigration from the United States.
- Examination of immigrant communities and the role of cultural integration.
- Evaluation of the influence of professional assignments and creative career development.
- Discussion on the perspectives regarding return migration versus permanent settlement abroad.
Excerpt from the Book
II a) Motives for Departure
A whole generation of American writers – and how many others, architects, painters, bond salesmen, professors and their wives, all the more studious and impressionable section of the middle-class youth – had been uprooted, schooled away, almost wrenched away, I said, from their attachment to any locality or local tradition. (Cowley 206)
It would be impossible to name the one and only reason for why immigration to Europe took place in the extent it did in the 1920s. However, it is possible to describe what could have been such factors that triggered the decision of Americans to leave the country. In the following, some of the main incentives for an emigration away from the US will be discussed.
Summary of Chapters
I INTRODUCTION: Defines core terminology like expatriate and sojourner and outlines the research intention to compare 1920s Parisian writers with contemporary American expatriates in Berlin.
II AMERICAN IMMIGRATION TO EUROPE IN THE 1920S: Examines the push factors of a conservative US society and the pull factors of the Parisian creative environment for the "Lost Generation," including their efforts at cultural integration.
III AMERICAN EXPATRIATES IN BERLIN TODAY: Profiles three modern American professionals in Berlin, analyzing their motivations, their immersion into international communities, and the impact of their working environments.
IV WHAT COMES AFTER EXPATRIATION: Discusses theoretical frameworks regarding return migration, the long-term perspectives of the 1920s writers, and the future projects of today’s Berlin-based expatriates.
V CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, highlighting the shared human desire to escape rule-adhering societies while noting the transition from all-American enclaves in the 1920s to modern, internationally integrated networks.
Keywords
Expatriation, Lost Generation, Berlin, Paris, American Emigration, Migration, Cultural Integration, Sojourner, International Community, Career Development, Identity, Modern History, Globalization, Cosmopolitanism, Expatriate Adjustment
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on comparing American expatriates in two different eras: the 1920s literary community in Paris and contemporary Americans living and working in Berlin.
What are the central thematic fields addressed?
The central themes include the motivations for leaving the US, the role of immigrant communities, strategies for cultural integration, and the influence of professional career paths on expatriation.
What is the main research question or objective?
The objective is to determine how historical and social circumstances in European urban centers have shaped the lifestyles and expatriation decisions of Americans across different time periods.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The methodology combines a literature review of historical primary sources (such as Malcom Cowley and Ernest Hemingway) with qualitative data gathered from interviews with three contemporary American expatriates in Berlin.
What is covered in the main body of the work?
The main body details the "Lost Generation" in Paris, provides case studies of modern interviewees in Berlin, and applies theories of return migration to understand the long-term implications of living abroad.
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Expatriation, Lost Generation, Cultural Integration, Berlin, Paris, Migration, and Cosmopolitanism.
How do modern expatriates in Berlin differ from those in the 1920s?
Unlike the 1920s writers who often formed all-American enclaves, modern expatriates tend to integrate into international communities and use English as a lingua franca, often motivated by professional global opportunities.
Does the author consider the impact of negative US political sentiment on expatriates?
Yes, the author discusses how negative perceptions of recent US policies, such as the NSA scandals, influence modern expatriates to lean towards adapting to the host country's culture rather than highlighting their American identity.
How significant is the command of a foreign language in this context?
Language is identified as a crucial tool for cultural integration and professional success in both the 1920s and today, facilitating deeper identification with the host society.
- Quote paper
- Laura Götz (Author), 2015, America Goes Abroad. American Emigration to the European Metropolis in the 1920s and Today, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/368974
