Social Integration without Elites?
Extent, Causes and Consequences of Personal Underrepresentation of Selected Population Groups in the German Elites
Consensus and Conflict Department
Project head: Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan , Prof. Dr. Sabrina Zajak
East Germans and persons with a migration background are less frequently represented in elites than would correspond to their share in the population: this is well known. The aim was to investigate to what extent this is the case and what causes and consequences this has. To this end, the proportion of East Germans and people with a migration background among the elites in all socially relevant areas (politics, administration, business, justice, science, civil society, media) was systematically recorded in order to compare educational and career paths. By analyzing sub-elites, reputational elites and leadership positions in (post-)migrant organizations, the positional elite approach was supplemented to provide insights into elite aspirants as well as prominent role models relevant to migrant communities.
We also examined how the population perceives the underrepresentation of East Germans and individuals with a migrant background and how elite members themselves perceive and evaluate elite careers, opportunities for advancement, and barriers to advancement.
Results: East Germans make up one-fifth (19.4 percent) of the population, but are represented in elite positions by only 10.1 percent. The disparity is even greater among people with an immigrant background (26 percent of the population, 9.2 percent in elite positions). There are major differences depending on the social sector. The population perceives the disparity and sees it as a problem. Special support measures for East Germans are advocated slightly more often than comparable measures for people with an immigrant background. A special evaluation on women in elite positions was connected and ended in January 2021.
Funding: Federal Ministry of Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (Third-party funding)
Cooperation partner:
Dr. Lars Vogel and Katharina Heger (Universität Leipzig), Prof. Dr. Raj Kollmorgen and Jan Schaller (Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz)