Book Discussion with Steven Vertovec

Please register by 18 September 2024 at 4 pm using the following link:  NaDiRa_Book_Discussion

Steven Vertovec has been developing his concept of 'superdiversity' for 20 years. His book "Superdiversity: Migration and Social Complexity", first published in 2023, has recently been translated into German under the title "Superdiversität. Migration und soziale Komplexität". This book analyses the new dimensions of migration in the 21st century.

This event, organised by the National Discrimination & Racism Monitor (NaDiRa), is a unique opportunity to explore Vertovec's theory with the author.

Vertovec argues that migration has always existed, but since the 21st century it has taken on a new and distinctive quality. In order to understand this 'new' form of migration, it is necessary to understand its rapidly increasing complexity. Migrants today are no longer a homogeneous group, but rather a diverse collection of individuals. They enter highly diversified societies where people no longer define themselves solely in terms of ethnicity, but draw on multiple identity categories that reflect different ways of life. This interaction leads to an increasingly super-diverse society. Vertovec's concept of 'superdiversity' calls for a reassessment of social identities as multidimensional, hybrid and fluid, challenging essentialist views and the notion of identity as a fixed construct. At a time when right-wing rhetoric seeks simplification, Vertovec's emphasis on the complexity of migration and society provides a crucial counterpoint.

The book discussion will provide a space to explore these theoretical reflections on 'superdiversity':

• How does the concept relate to current political developments and modern notions of integration?
• How can the notion of superdiversity be linked to racism and structural inequalities?

Program

• Welcome by Dr. Cihan Sinanoğlu, Head of the NaDiRa
• Discussion with the author, Prof. Steven Vertovec
• Moderated by Prof. Dr. Magdalena Nowicka, Head of the Department of Integration

The event will be held in English.

Participation requires registration by 18 September 2024 at 4 pm using the following link.

Further information or updates can be found on our website: Book Discussion with Steven Vertovec.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Prof. Dr. Steven Vertovec is an American social scientist, ethnologist and religious scholar. He is the founding director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity. Previously, he was Professor of Transnational Anthropology at Oxford University and Director of the UK Economic and Social Research Council's Centre on Migration, Policy and Society (COMPAS). He gained international recognition for coining the term 'superdiversity' and for his subsequent research on the subject. He was a member of the Expert Council of German Foundations on Integration and Migration from 2008 to 2011. His expertise has also been sought by institutions such as the European Commission, the G8, the World Bank and UNESCO.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL DISCRIMINATION AND RACISM MONITOR (NADIRA)

The National Monitoring of Discrimination and Racism (NaDiRa) has been systematically and multi-methodically recording various dimensions of discrimination and racism since 2020 in order to identify social developments and trends. The monitor serves to provide an empirical basis for the causes, extent and consequences of discrimination and racism in order to derive political recommendations for action. In doing so, it works in cooperation with a civil society monitoring process.

ABOUT THE DEZIM INSTITUTE

The German Centre for Integration and Migration Research (DeZIM) conducts research on integration and migration, consensus and conflict, social participation and racism. It consists of the DeZIM Institute and the DeZIM Research Community. The DeZIM Institute is located in Berlin-Mitte. In the DeZIM Research Community, the DeZIM Institute collaborates with seven other institutions conducting research on migration and integration in Germany. DeZIM is funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth (BMFSFJ).