"Ways of Belonging and Expressing Critique in the European Immigration Society"

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A key characteristic of Western European immigration societies is the pluralization of belonging as defined by religion, language, and nationality. The descendents of immigrant families contribute significantly to this process of pluralization. In Germany and France, notions of belonging can be observed that are linked to the Islamic religion, to the Kabyle language culture, or to the Palestinian community. Are these constructions of belonging an expression of postcolonial empowerment or do they instead represent an illusion of personal fulfilment that is in fact rooted in institutionalized power relations?
When descendents of postcolonial immigrants describe their imagined transnational communities, they simultaneously voice their criticisms of established asymmetric power relations. The lecture will discuss how and to what extent criticism of state institutions is a key aspect in constructing transnational notions of belonging. Does this criticism structure constructions of belonging? Is it an expression of the individual self-determination of descendents of postcolonial immigrant families? Does it reflect participation in political controversies in Western European immigration societies? A further question that will be addressed is whether and how the criticism that is founded in constructions of belonging is recognized and responded to on a political level.