Political parties and the representation of social diversity: immigrants on party boards in Germany
Nicolas Fliess, Karen Schönwälder
This project aims to understand the representation of individuals with a migration background in leadership positions within German political parties. Given that more than a quarter of the German population now have a migration background, it is important to explore how party organisations approach diversity and questions of representation. Our study centres on regional executive party boards (Landesvorstände), examining levels of incorporation and whether the representation of individuals with a migration background varies by party and regional state. Further, we investigate what accounts for such potential differences. Taking a different perspective, we also study the experiences and career paths of individuals serving on these boards. Who are the board members, and what do their career trajectories look like?
This project is the first systematic study focusing on immigrant incorporation within German party boards. To this end, we conduct a survey, personal interviews with party leaders and mobilise a range of secondary sources, including media reports and party webpages amongst others.