Project


Identity and Integration - Cultural Knowledge about Identity-related Needs of Turkish Germans and Mexican Americans in Comparison

This project aims at offering further insight into contemporary culture-specific identity needs of Turkish Germans and Mexican Americans. Moreover, the cross-cultural design of the study aims at finding out more about the extent to which uncertain identity, as a typical phenomenon of contemporary globalized society, in general produces specific needs independent of cultural influences. Turkish Germans and Mexican Americans are specifically suitable for this cross-cultural study since both groups show basic differences with regard to their cultural concepts. They are expected to integrate within differing social and political structures and welfare systems while simultaneously dealing with similar challenges of integration.

(A full project outline exists. In case of interest in more information on this research project, please feel free to contact me.)


Subproject 1: Integration Needs of Turkish Germans

Cultural anthropological analysis of literary works written by Turkish-German authors and discussion of findings with Turkish Germans.

(The analysis of Turkish German fiction has been started on a small scale. The results of this study can be found here, in "Publications", in my German article "Tendenzen türkisch-deutscher Identitätsbedürfnisse".)


Subproject 2: Integration Needs of Mexican Americans

Cultural anthropological analysis of literary works written by Mexican American authors and discussion of findings with Mexican Americans.


Subproject 3: Culture-specific and Culturally-independent Aspects of Integration Needs

Assessment of similarities and differences of Turkish German and Mexican American integration needs.