Political (In)Equality in the Post-Migrant Democracy

Overall PIs: Prof. Dr. Andreas Blätte (InZentIM), Prof. Dr. Nihad El-Kayed (IfS, Universität Münster)

Scientific and administrative coordination: Dr. Marcel Berlinghoff (InZentIM), Dorothee Helsper (InZentIM), Leoni Meyer (IfS, Universität Münster)

Scientific and civil society advisory board: Prof. Dr. Tarik Abouchadi (Universität Oxford), Prof. Dr. Svenja Ahlhaus (Universität Münster), Prof. Dr. Claudia Diehl (Universität Konstanz), Prof. Dr. Serhat Karakayalı (Leuphana Universität Lüneburg), Peggy Piesche (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung, BPB)), Dr. Elizabeth Beloe (BV Netzwerk Migrant*innenorganisationen, NeMO)

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Project description:

This collaborative project examines how social (in)equalities impact the political sphere of post-migrant democracies – that is, a sphere that is normatively founded on the promise of political equality. The focus is on the question of how tensions between social inequality and political belonging, participation and representation manifest themselves, evolve and can be addressed in a pluralistic post-migrant society.

Our research brings together seven project modules that are interlinked in terms of discipline and methodology, each focusing on one of the three dimensions: (A) belonging, (B) participation and (C) representation. In doing so, perspectives from educational science, geography, philosophy, political science and sociology are combined with qualitative and quantitative research methods: At the level of belonging, the module group examines the interplay between self-attributions and attributions by others, and explores the significance of experiences of democracy, recognition, participation, hierarchy and inclusion for people with a migration history – both in relation to their migration experiences and in the workplace.
In terms of participation, the module group focuses on the institutional and local conditions of political participation – ranging from the experiences of migrant parents in state and civil society contexts to the question of what role local social infrastructures play in the political participation of people with a migrant background and in attitudes towards migration.

At the level of representation, the module group examines how social and migration-related inequalities shape patterns of political representation; what impact situations of threat have on political participation and the exercise of political office; and what potential democratic innovations may hold for addressing intersectional inequalities, as well as for representation and responsiveness in post-migrant democracy.

Partner institutions: Berliner Institut für empirische Integrations- und Migrationsforschung (BIM), Interdisziplinäres Zentrum für Integrations- und Migrationsforschung (InZentIM), Mannheimer Zentrum für Europäische Sozialforschung (MZES),
Institut für Soziologie (Universität Münster)

Overview research modules:

A Belonging

A.1 Democratic values among migrants from authoritarian regimes. PIs: Prof. Dr. Marc Helbling (MZES), Dr. Korinna Lindemann (MZES), Dr. Sandra Morgenstern (MZES), Researcher: Dr. Antonia May (MZES)

A.2 Being able to look each other in the eye. From a society of equals to participatory democracy. PI: Prof. Dr. Andreas Niederberger (InZentIM), Researcher: Ibrahim Orha (InZentIM)

B Participation

B.1 Strengthening participation in state and civil society institutions: perspectives of migrant parents. PIs: Dr. Alison Benbow (BIM), Prof. Dr. Aileen Edele (BIM), Prof. Dr. Philipp Jugert (InZentIM), Coordination: Sophie Harms (BIM), Researcher: Begüm Güngör (BIM)

B.2 Protective infrastructures? The role of local infrastructures for participation and migration-related attitudes in post-migrant democracy. PI: Prof. Dr. Nihad El-Kayed (IfS, Universität Münster), Researcher: Martin Refisch (IfS, Universität Münster)

C Representation

C.1 Ethnic and socio-economic background of candidates for political office: Implications for patterns of representation in post-migrant society. PI: Prof. Dr. Marc Debus (MZES), Researcher: Julius Diener (MZES)

C.2 Representation in situations of threat. Local officials and elected representatives between exit and voice. PIs: Prof. Dr. Andreas Blätte (InZentIM), Prof. Dr. Nihad El-Kayed (IfS, Universität Münster), Dr. Merve Schmitz-Vardar (InZentIM), Researcher: Laura Dinnebier (InZentIM), Leoni Meyer (IfS, Universität Münster)

C.3 Not seen, not spoken, not heard. Political responsiveness and intersectional inequality (NIG). PI: Prof. Dr. Susanne Pickel (InZentIM), Researcher: Katharina Kowalski (InZentIM)

Existing research on political inequality has so far lacked systematic understanding of the specific mechanisms through which social inequalities are translated into political processes and, within those processes, affect a sense of belonging, participation and representation in various ways. The link between the structure of social inequality and political (in)equality therefore often remains unclear. Furthermore, it is largely unclear under what conditions political inequality can not only be described, but also practically addressed or reduced. In particular, there is a lack of integrated analyses that combine empirical mechanisms with practice-oriented approaches. This is precisely where the project comes in, by addressing these research gaps and developing an integrated understanding of the mechanisms through which social inequality is translated into political inequality, reinforced or even mitigated.

The aim of the project is to systematically examine how social (in)equalities are embedded in the political sphere of post-migrant democracies and how they manifest themselves there in terms of belonging, participation and representation. The aim is to identify both the empirical manifestations of these inequalities and the underlying mechanisms that mediate, reinforce or mitigate tensions between social inequality and political equality.

A further objective is to understand the conditions under which political inclusion, participation and representation can be strengthened in post-migrant democracies. On this basis, practice-oriented insights and recommendations for action will also be developed to help reduce political inequalities and promote political equality in pluralistic, post-migrant societies.

The research is being carried out within the framework of seven project modules, which are divided into three module groups based on the dimensions (A) belonging, (B) participation and (C) representation:

Module group (A) addresses issues of political belonging in the tension between self-attribution and external attribution: in relation to democratic values amongst migrants from authoritarian regimes (A.1); and in relation to the experiences of hierarchy faced by people with a migration background in the workplace and their significance for political inclusion (A.2).

• 1 Democratic values amongst migrants from authoritarian regimes. Module leaders: Prof. Dr Marc Helbling (MZES), Dr Korinna Lindemann (MZES), Dr Sandra Morgenstern (MZES); Module coordinator: Dr Antonia May (MZES)
• 2 Being able to look one another in the eye. From a society of equals to participatory democracy. Module leaders: Prof. Dr Andreas Niederberger (InZentIM), Module coordinator: Ibrahim Orha (InZentIM)

Module Group (B) focuses on the contextual and institutional frameworks for political and civil society participation. The modules within this group examine the participation of migrant parents in state and civil society institutions (B.1); and the question of how local variations in infrastructure – such as (migrant) associations or social services – affect the political participation of people with a migrant background and their attitudes towards migration (B.2)

• 1 Strengthening participation in state and civil society institutions: perspectives of migrant parents. Module leaders: Dr Alison Benbow (BIM), Prof. Dr Aileen Edele (BIM), Prof. Dr Philipp Jugert (InZentIM); Module coordinator: Sophie Harms (BIM); Module researcher: Begüm Güngör (BIM).
• 2 Protective infrastructures? The role of local infrastructures in participation and migration-related attitudes in post-migrant democracy. Module leaders: Prof. Dr Nihad El-Kayed (IfS, Münster University), Module researcher: Martin Refisch (IfS, Münster University)

Module Group (C) examines issues of representation in post-migrant democracies. The modules analyse the extent to which the ethnic and socio-economic background of candidates for political office affects their prospects of success (C.1); the mechanisms through which threats against politicians have group-specific effects, thereby exacerbating pre-existing migration-related imbalances in representation (C.2); and the potential of democratic innovations to overcome intersectional inequalities faced by people with a migration background, and their significance for representation and responsiveness (C.3).

• 1 Ethnic and socio-economic background of candidates for political office: implications for patterns of representation in a post-migrant society. Module leader: Prof. Dr Marc Debus (MZES), Module coordinator: Julius Diener (MZES)
• 2 Representation in situations of threat. Local elected representatives and office-holders between ‘exit’ and ‘voice’. Module leaders: Prof. Dr Andreas Blätte (InZentIM), Prof. Dr Nihad El-Kayed (IfS, University of Münster), Dr Merve Schmitz-Vardar (InZentIM); Module coordinators: Laura Dinnebier (InZentIM), Leoni Meyer (IfS, Münster University)

C.3 Unseen, unspoken, unheard. Political responsiveness and intersectional inequality (NIG). Module co-ordinators: Prof. Dr Susanne Pickel (InZentIM), Module coordinator: Katharina Kowalski (InZentIM)

By conducting an interdisciplinary analysis of the processes and mechanisms linking social inequalities, migration-related diversity, and the contextual and institutional frameworks of political (in)equality, we not only gain a better understanding of how these factors are interrelated across different dimensions. We are also able to identify areas for strategic intervention and thereby provide important insights for policymakers and civil society.

By ‘post-migrant democracy’ we mean – in empirical terms – the democratic structure of a society shaped by migration. Furthermore, the term refers normatively to a democratically constituted society in which the experience of migration – including that within families – is an unquestioned part of the shared sense of ‘we’, in which discrimination based on migration is counteracted, and in which community-building narratives based on the empirical normality of diversity take precedence over supposedly monocultural identities.

The ideal of political equality – that is, the principle that everyone has equal rights, opportunities and influence to participate in the political process – is never fully realised in complex societies, meaning that political inequality is the norm. We examine these inequalities across relevant dimensions of the political process: the question of political affiliations, opportunities for participation, the role of representation, and responsiveness – that is, citizens’ perception of the extent to which politicians respond to their wishes and demands.