Dear Reader,

How far has a radically open society been realized in the face of growing nationalist narratives on both sides of the Atlantic? Our latest issue “Belonging” tells of life in a different homeland to one's parents or grandparents, of cultural reproductions and mutations from one place to another, of new roots and aspects of exclusion that are probably not alien to anyone, but which weigh differently in individual understanding. Is the concept of “native” vs. “migrant” still valid?

Let's explore this and other questions together!

The editorial team of Gegenüber

Migration policy in Germany

A perceived crisis

Few topics are as fiercely debated today as the "migration crisis". The situation is paradoxical: despite widespread labor shortages across the country, the focus of politicians and the media remains fixed on one issue: deportation.

In Conversation with Mark Terkessidis

Without a plan: Germany and migration

Although workers are needed everywhere and the acceptance of refugees on the labor market is a success story, “irregular migration” seems to be the most controversial topic. Mark Terkessidis about migration, racism and social change.

Excerpt from the novel by Khuê Phạm

Brothers and Ghosts

A young woman, torn between two cultures, belonging to neither. Excerpt from the book by Khuê Phạm.

Goethe on demand | Topical Collection

“Longing / Belonging” in Films

Selected films are available for free streaming on Goethe on Demand.