Solidarity Activism in Germany: What Explains Different Types and Levels of Engagement?

Abstract

The chapter investigates patterns of solidarity activity in Germany regarding the national, European and non-European level as well as refugees, unemployed and disabled people. We use multinomial regression to test a number of factors, including socio-economic variables but also subjective positioning, ideational factors, motifs and political beliefs. We find only limited socio-economic patterns and thus emphasize that solidarity is shaped by feelings of attachment. And attachment to different groups differs: it is highest towards disabled people and lowest, comparing our three issue fields, towards refugees. Our results indicate that solidarity depends not only on spatial proximity but also on social proximity. Political beliefs, too, matter as they seem to indicate deservingness of particular groups. This explains the different levels of solidarity towards the investigated groups.