Migration to Germany: Structures, processes, and discourses

Abstract

Taking the example of Germany as a demo-graphically ageing country, this paper starts with the assumption that international migra-tion and a sound long-term integration of in-ternational migrants are crucial for sustainable population development. However, owing to the complexity of migration motives and indi-vidual migration decisions on the one hand, and the multidimensionality of external causes for migration and political regulations aiming to steer migration, on the other hand, the de-mand and supply side of migration can vary considerably. This paper reflects on recent important migratory movements to Germany (notably inner-European mobility after the expansion of the European Union (EU), and student and refugee migration in the wake of the economic and financial crisis) and con-comitant policy changes. Two main arguments are made along these empirical observations: first, the effective regulation of international migration in Germany as in any other Euro-pean country can only be derived by harmo-nising migration regulations on a supra-national level, and second, the issue of migra-tion and its regulation touch on crucial topics in European and national public discourse such as the stabilisation of individual and group identities in turbulent times. Thus, as per the arguments put forth by this study, in order to solve actual imbalances in the Euro-pean migration and asylum system, questions on social justice and common European val-ues will need to be addressed throughout the European countries and at the EU level.