Parallel society

Parallel society is a political term that describes a non- perceived rules and morals of the majority society appropriate, of this sometimes perceived as negative social self-organization of a minority. The term overlaps in its semantic content with counter culture and subculture. He has held increasingly input into the scientific and public debate on integration since the 1990s and is controversial.

• 2.1 Historical Research
• 2.2 Sociological classification
• 2.3 Political science research

The term in the media

Word formation and dissemination

The word parallel society was introduced in the early 1990s by the Bielefeld sociologist Wilhelm Heitmeyer in the debate on migration and integration, in which the word has initially received little attention. In 1996 it was occasionally, but still used hesitant. Became popular, the word only in the years 2003 and 2004.

After the assassination of anti-Islam filmmaker Theo van Gogh on 2 November 2004 charged during the November attacks on a Koranic school, as well as mosques, Islamic schools and churches in the Netherlands. The following public controversy was first in the Netherlands, then popularized in the rest of Europe the slogan "parallel society " in the mass media. It has often been combined with the view that the multicultural society has failed and requires the impending division of society political action. In 2004, the word parallel society was elected to 2nd place because of its frequent use in the words of the year by the Society for German Language ( GfdS ). After the terrorist attack on 7 July 2005 in London and the riots in France in 2005, the word was used again reinforced in the discourse.

Comments in the press

In January 2007, the cultural theorist Wolfgang Kaschuba published in the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel, under the title "How strange to be made" a comment. In it, he wrote initially pointed: "Whoever emigrates to Germany (apparently only people from Turkey or from Arab countries ), which did not really wanders into the German society. Instead, he looks for his place in migrant parallel societies. And they are above all:. Deliberately not German "However Kaschuba also provided the seriousness of the discourse out and emphasized in particular newly created fears in the population since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001: " Two images especially the ones who present the public are perception of shape. On the one hand, migrants are increasingly identified as ethnic strangers. As strangers who therefore do not belong to the majority society. On the other hand increasingly experienced Islamist groups, public attention. Since that September 11 they seem to provide a breeding ground for terrorism, which has already made in the name of jihad in Europe his bloody tracks from London to Madrid. "

Scientific discourse

Historical Research

In November 2004, the editors of Spiegel Online published an interview with the historian Klaus J. Bade. This brought bathing expressed that the term parallel society has characteristics of populism. He said:

Sociological classification

In the conflict between society and the parallel society is about the conflict of interests between an incumbent majority with few experiences of social decline and an immigrant underclass with already competitive, although weak opportunities for social advancement. There is also a social conflict of a secularized majority with their religious traditions brought " modernizing " minority.

The sociologist Lewis A. Coser designated 1964 the dispute in such an economy shifted from the moral conflict in front as an unrealistic conflict.

Political science research

"? Parallel society " in the spring of 2006, the Federal Agency for Civic Education, published in the political science journal from politics and contemporary history, a collection of essays under the heading The results of each study can be summarized as follows:

1 It could be find evidence that the more religious Muslims are, the more distance to non-Muslims would set up.

The second is connected to the debate about parallel societies thought that Turkish migrants may establish clan -like structures and tendencies have to foreclosure, could not be confirmed.

3 data analyzes that were conducted between 1999 and 2004, show that the statement of withdrawals of Turkish origin of the population in their own ethnic group and the related idea of ​​a pressing Integerationsproblems, only a small empirical substance have.

4 With regard to the question of the equality of man and woman " at least half " of living in Germany 'Turks' to Turkish Muslim traditions would hold, which is why German and Turkish democrats insist on equality, rule of law and protect the realization of the fundamental rights of individuals would have.

5 The migration debate in the German media was influenced by simplifications, distortions and generalizing statements.