Reading Reflection Week 1

To begin this reading reflection, I wanted to start by reacting to two extracts from the Brian Ladd piece. Ladd writes that “memories often cleave to the physical settings of events”, but then he also points out that “not every structure and old site can be preserved; cities are not museums” (Ladd, 2). I feel that this fundamental contradiction, which stems from a conflict that is occurring on a societal level, can be seen in Germany but also in the United States.

It seems to me that, for many people, monuments and large physical structures come together to form a significant representation of one’s national identity. For example, as an American, I identify with depictions of the Statue of Liberty. Whenever I see the Eiffel Tower, I think about not only the tower itself but the people it symbolizes. I am sure there are monuments that the people of Germany also personally identify with as a whole (such as the Brandenburg Gates). However, this connection to a monument that is a symbol can also be more personalized. I connect more specifically to the Space Needle in Seattle because I am a Seattleite, and even more specifically I connect to a large sculpture in my hometown that was built for my middle school, because I feel a large part of my identity connects back to that sculpture. In this way, I believe symbols of national identity can become more specified over time, and then we come away with a collection of monuments and physical constructions that symbolize the identity of a group of people.

With this in mind, what happens if a physical manifestation of one’s identity is put on the table for destruction? This patriotic idea of cultural and nationalist preservation (that I believe many of us receive early on in our educations) directly conflicts with the practical notion that we cannot preserve everything, that time must continue. I wonder how I would react if someone proposed the demolition of the sculpture at my school, or the Space Needle, or the Statue of Liberty. I suspect that most Americans would be outraged if this occurred. However, what if America was simply out of space? Or, what if the Statue of Liberty became a symbol of oppression and a dark history? (I think some may argue that this has already occurred for many people who have discovered the myth of the “American Dream”). We have a fundamental conflict here of Western values: preservation of and pride of national identity, with the desire to be rid of a shameful past, in addition to the continuous capitalist pursuit of profit and efficiency.

This article relates very specifically to my community placement at Die Gärtnerei because it is a coop campus that is built on the grounds of a cemetery. A program that is helping create community for refugees, who are constantly adding to and changing the definition of Germany national identity, is replacing what was once a Jewish cemetery in a German city. Many would argue that the cemetery should be entirely preserved, while others might argue that the city is running out of space for projects like this that give people a second chance, but the big question here harkens back to the Ladd reading: is the Coop Campus destroying an image of national identity, or is it just time to change and make a new symbol of the national identity of Germany.

I connected less directly to the Anderson reading, but one passage I pulled out was the explanation for imagined nationalism. Anderson says nationalism is imagined “because the members of even the smallest nation will never know most of their fellow members, meet them, or even hear of them, yet in the minds of each lives the image of their communion.” (Anderson, 49) The first thing I thought of when I read this passage was how, in my conversations with many Americans, their images of who makes up America or what it  means to be “American” can differ so much from person to person. If this national identity is as imagined as Anderson argues, serious problems can arise when we ask questions about commemorating national identities in the first place. Discussing how to best represent national identity without first discussing the definition of that identity is extremely problematic. 

Journal Entries for Berlin Week 1

During my brief time in Berlin, I have been walking around and seeing a lot of museums, monuments, and old buildings, and so far I have had an amazing time. I love how Berlin seamlessly mixes things that are ancient, relatively old, modern, historical, and connected to specific cultures. I love being in Europe, but especially Berlin, because everywhere you go, everywhere you step, there is a sense of a deep history. I feel the history of the city around me as a walk through it, whether it is artifacts from ancient Greece in the Altes museum, or stumbling stones that commemorate people who were deported in the Second World War. When I walked into this great, round room in the Altes museum, I was rendered speechless for two reasons: 1) the architecture was astoundingly beautiful, and 2) I wondered how a country with a past filled with such horrors of colonialism, racism and terror could have things that are so beautiful.

When I stopped to think about this juxtaposition, I caught myself being a bit hypocritical, because we do this so often in the United States as well. When I ask myself what is beautiful and renders me speechless in the US, I think of gorgeous nature scenes or the skylines of iconic cities that I have visited, like Manhattan. But then I think about the history that lies underneath, such as the native peoples who used to live on these beautiful expanses of land or the immigrants who pass by Manhattan, looking for a better life but for decades receiving nothing prejudice and poverty. I was talking with some of my classmates earlier in the week after walking around to see some of the monuments near Humboldt University, such as the site of the Nazi book burning, about why Germany deals with shameful history differently. We reminded ourselves that people in America committed atrocities too, such as the genocide of Native American peoples and the extensive history of slavery, as do many other people in many other nations, but no nation has been forced to face its dark past in the same way that Germany has, and the conflict between these two historical narratives in Germany (that of pride and beauty versus shame and terror) has resulted from this.

The artifact that I found on Monday near Humboldt University was a stone commemorating the executions of about 30 protesters that destroyed Nazi propaganda in the Lustgarten square on May 18^th, 1942. The memorial was put up in 1981, and was then added to later with glass panes to explain the next part of the story that went untold. The protestors prompted the retaliation action of the government; the main security office arrested 500 Jewish men at the end of May 1942 and killed half of them immediately.  I was really struck by this artifact because it was, compared to the grand buildings and beautiful fountains and gardens around it, the stone block is quite small, but it has such a story behind it! It has such a story and layers of complexity that meant pieces of Plexiglas were added to the memorial so people passing by would know what happened and why. The attention to detail and context, which I think is so important, actually happened here. I’m really glad that this layer was added, but I wander if creating additions in the name of context is appropriate in all situations of commemoration.

The Palace of Tears was a very eye-opening experience for me because, until I walked in to the exhibit, I was completely taking for granted what a key role the train station played during the time of the wall. I was, for some reason, upset that I didn’t originally give enough weight to a place where so many were separated from their families, or were denied entry to the West, or were caught “smuggling” basic necessities across the border. One part of the exhibit that is stuck strongly in my mind is the video that presented the differences in parallel film reels between the West and East; the same events, such as the initial military enforcement of the border between East and West, were portrayed in such utterly different ways by the Western and Eastern media. Such contrasting narratives so close to one another is not only concerning, but frightening. The prospect of a nearby neighbor getting utterly opposite information to what you receive is unsettling, to say the least.

To conclude this weekly journal, I wanted to briefly reflect on my community partner, the Coop Campus (or Die Gärtnerei). I absolutely love everything that this project is about, and I am having a wonderful time working there. To summarize, the garden is composed of a few large plots of land on what is still a cemetery where there is a literal garden, honeybees, a wood shop, an art studio, a kitchen, classrooms, and community space for anyone who wants to be there to spend time and have a place to be at home. In particular, the Coop Campus helps refugees find a community and support system by offering German classes, workshops in both practical skills and creative expression, and hopefully connecting people to job opportunities if everything falls into place. I have met so many wonderful, welcoming people who work and learn there, the community is extremely welcoming, and a lot of that comes from affirmation; no matter who you are, when you walk into the campus everyone says hello! People who didn’t even know me, who can’t even speak the same language as me, greeted our group with an open heart on our first day (Wednesday). Since then, I have worked in the garden raking and pulling weeds, sanded down boards to make signs, washed dishes, picked herbs, made tea, and spent time with people who work at the campus. I’m really excited to get to know more about the community and to see what I can do next to help the people who work there. 

Neukolln Five Senses Survey

I walked around the neighborhood of Neukölln, which is around my community placement (The Coop Campus, formerly known as Die Gärtnerei). My overall impressions of the neighborhood are that Neukölln is a diverse neighborhood that is in the process of being gentrified. It has a few main streets that are very active with cars, bikes and people, but side streets have more domestic living space and quieter businesses, creating a big contrast between nearby sections of the neighborhood.

The first thing I noticed when I walked in to the neighborhood was something that I thought was a bit of a juxtaposition: the neighborhood has a lot of large cemeteries, but people are very active and lively. Sound was the first thing that hit me; the combination of people chatting, cars driving by and birds chirping is something I associate only with Neukölln (as compared to the other neighborhoods I have visited across the world). There were also a lot of children walking around with their parents of playing in parks, on all three of the days I visited Neukölln (Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday). The lively nature of the neighborhood also continues with the smells; the smell of flowers and cooking food, like falafel and donner, is all around. It is partially combined with the expected smells of a city, like car exhaust and trash, but it is much subtler than in other areas of Berlin.

I knew before coming to Neukölln that the neighborhood had a lot of diverse people living there, but the senses that highlighted that diversity were sight and taste. On the same block, I saw signs for donner, falafel, pizza, Vietnamese food, Indian food, and French pastries. Most foods are familiar to me, but when I wandered into the big market a few blocks away from Die Gärtnerei, a lot of ingredients were less familiar.

As for the structure of the community, the biggest natural barrier was Tempelhof Airfield, which borders Neukölln from the south. Neukölln is very urban, most of the living space is apartments that are between or above storefronts. The community is thriving, with people able to walk, bike, drive and take buses and trains all around the area. In addition to all the restaurants, there are general stores, smaller boutiques, bars, kindergartens, parks and churches. It seems to be a community for all ages of predominantly middle class, although people I’ve spoken to briefly in the community say that gentrification is occurring (as Berlin becomes a more popular city). One of the bigger ethnic groups in the area seems to be the Turkish community, but I also saw people of a variety of other ethnicities (white, Asian, African, etc.). There was no evidence of politics that I could see, but from talking to Esther and other members of Die Gärtnerei, there have been roadblocks due to political agendas that have made the expansion of the garden into the community rather difficult. Strangely enough, the neighborhood smells diverse too! Flowers, cooking food and car exhaust.

Finally, the residents seem polite, if not extremely outwardly friendly, and I feel really comfortable in Neukölln. However, I am aware of the fact that I may feel comfortable as a white, middle class American woman in this neighborhood due to gentrification of some of the neighborhood. In comparison to some other areas in Berlin, there is more of a language barrier (as Neukölln is less of a tourist destination), but the shop owners and individuals on the street that I have spoken to are friendly, or at least courteous. Overall, I really like Neukölln, and I anticipate that I’m going to enjoy exploring the area as I continue to work at Die Gärtnerei for the next few weeks. 

CERP Draft 2

Rebecca Duncan

Community Engaged Research Project

The main theme of my project Community Engaged Research Project is comparing the effects of migration versus refugee policy and how it affects people on the individual level and the community level. I want to research how migrant policies and regulations lead to gentrification of an area. In addition, I want many of the sources that tell us the effects of these policies and regulations to be people. I am concerned with how policy impacts people on the individual level; I want to know more about the stories of people, and all the different ways one person may be impacted by seemingly unrelated policies.  I will conduct my research first on the national policy level, then on the community level, and then on the individual level. Then, I plan to draw the lines of connection among these levels of policy and impact to see how the interconnections and compounding of policies influence the lives of real people. After further consideration of the different aspects of the life of a migrant, in particular that of a refugee or asylum seeker, I would like to delve deeper into how policy and community attitude affects the social life and public spaces for refugees.

            After conducting background research before traveling to Berlin, my goal is to speak to migrants, community members, and leaders of various community groups and organizations (who likely know about policies surrounding migrants, their social opportunities and activities in public spaces), and briefly interview them about how community space and acceptance has come about or been made difficult for migrants, and how policy versus community attitude played a role in this.

            So, the big research questions I have are these: How do policies implemented in Berlin regarding migrants, asylum-seekers and the composition of the community at large affect the social life of and the public spaces used by the people who live there? Furthermore, is policy more effective in causing change in the community, or is the attitude of the community more effective?

I first started thinking about pursuing a research project like this when I applied to the study abroad program. I, personally, have always been fascinated in the relationship between laws and individuals, and I wanted to find a way to connect this interest to our studies in Berlin this summer. This interest was reinforced when we read the second chapter of The Age of Migration, which focused on the migratory process. At the start of the chapter, Castle and Miller talk about the different theories for migration: economic theories, historical-structural theories, migration systems theory and transnational theory. Each section mentions the different methods by which these theories have been implemented in the real world. Predominantly, this implementation of theory has been through policy, especially for the migration systems theory and transnational theory. For instance, the macro-structures of migration systems theory include “the political economy of the world market, interstate relationships, and the laws, structures and practices established by the states of sending and receiving countries to control migration settlement”. (Castle, 27)

Another facet of policy that is addressed in Castle and Miller’s chapter is how inherent “internal dynamics of the migratory process…often confound expectations of the participants and undermines the objectives of policy-makers in both sending and receiving countries”. (Castle, 31) Furthermore, Castle and Miller argue that there has been a “failure of policy makers and analysts to see international migration as a dynamic social process” which has caused many problems, and that this is due to a focus on economic models and individual motives for migration. Therefore, I would like to try to investigate and analyze the different motives for migration in Germany, and see if the current policy and social systems are set up to appropriately match and account for those motives.

In addition to finding inspiration from the Age of Migration, I was fascinated by the articles we read on gentrification. In particular, I was fascinated by how Berliners have been dealing with the effects of gentrification in neighborhoods like Kreuzberg. The article that we read titled “In Berlin, a Grass-Roots Fight Against Gentrification as Rents Soar” outlined how grass roots movements to halt gentrification have pressured local authorities to “put into effect a slate of measures, including rent caps, a partial ban on vacation rentals, development-free zones and increased social housing subsidies” to address the housing market and “conserve the diverse social and cultural makeup of city center”. (Wilder) I’m really curious about these regulations that the authorities in Berlin have put in place to stem gentrification. In addition, the article doesn’t really touch on how these regulations impact the huge influx of migrants and asylum-seekers in recent years, so I would love to research more about that.

Because I was interested in finding out more of what the actual process of migration for asylum-seekers, I went to the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees to look up the stages of the asylum procedure. In particular, I became interested in the policies of how asylum seekers are distributed, and what procedures lead to resettlement and qualification. The BAMF website focused mainly on the big picture of the asylum seeking process and policy, so I hope to be able to learn more about the individual experience of an asylum seeker and see if their experiences matches with the seemingly efficient system that BAMF describes.

In order to get a jump on learning about the individual experiences of asylum seekers and how community programs and policies impact those experiences, I did some preliminary research based on news articles that have come out in the past few years about refugees in Berlin. In particular, an article about a group of residents attempting to combat the gentrification of Berlin by creating an initiative to have milieuschutz in their area. The article describes milieuschutz as “social environment protection”, so that “real estate is shielded against owners’ attempts to renovate and modernise it to the extent that existing residents could be forced out.” (Coldwell) In the same article, a local city councilor explains about the measures he has been taking to increase awareness of what residents “have to tolerate and what they don’t” in regards to rent and living spaces. This article focused more on gentrification, but I would like to dig deeper to see if similar actions are taking place in regards to public and community spaces for migrants in Berlin; are people being forced out of these spaces in the same way? Is the community creating initiatives like the milieuschutz in regards to public spaces?

In another article that I was reading about the refugee crisis, there was a passage I found to be extremely relevant to what I am researching: “the failure to include urban leaders as critical participants in European and global deliberations mean that policies will be developed in a vacuum without the benefit of solutions forged on the ground in real time.” (Katz) It was really encouraging to see that many people are already thinking about the disconnect that can sometimes occur between policy makers and people on the ground, and motivated me to continue my research, because I think a lot of people are going to have a lot to say about this topic.

Of course, before investigating these topics, I must consider my own biases and perspective. I grew up in Vancouver, Washington, which is a medium-sized city that is predominantly white. I have also been lucky enough to live in a stable home and home life situation my whole life, and have never been suddenly displaced from my home. I like to think that my upbringing was very liberal, and that I do my best to be of bias in my daily interactions, it’s unlikely that I am entirely free of influence. I anticipate that dealing with language barriers with be very challenging for me, as my first language was English and I have been surrounded by people who speak little else for much of my life, but I hope to be able to move past this so I can have rich conversations with migrants and community members.

Based on the type of information I am looking for, I will likely do a combination of both data/information research and through observation and interaction with individuals while we are in Berlin. I will travel throughout Berlin taking qualitative notes on the people I meet and the places I go, and hopefully interview different community members, migrants, and leaders of nonprofits who have knowledge of changing policies and community attitudes.

When I conduct an interview, I plan to ask open-ended questions, and hopefully each interview will be at least ten to fifteen minutes in length so I can ask follow up questions. I have come up with a few starting questions below:

-          Do you know about this community project? (Schlesiche 27, or other relevant projects)

-          How did you find out about this community project?

-          (To non-migrant community members) What has it been like to have so many migrants coming into Berlin, and this neighborhood? How do you feel about it?

-          (To migrants) What has your experience been like migrating to Berlin? How has this community project impacted your experience?

-          Do you know about any policies that have helped migrants to integrate into the community? On the flip side, do you know about policies that have hindered this integration?

-          In your opinion, do you think policies have made a bigger impact than community action, or vice versa, for creating public spaces for migrants to gather, feel welcome, and express themselves? Why?

In addition to talking with people individually, I will be collecting information by taking pictures and videos of people and events that I attend or observe at public spaces where migrants can be social and express themselves. These pieces of evidence will be paired with comments from individuals attending or observing the event, some of which may be my own reflections on the situation.

6. DAILY SCHEDULE in Berlin.

-          People:

o   Directors of non-profits in Kreuzberg who understand the overlap between the policies and the people

o   Migrants and asylum-seekers (if they are willing to tell their story)

o   Individuals impacted by rising rents and gentrification in Kreuzberg

o   (potentially) authority figures

-          Places

o   Public transportation

o   Locations:

§  Schlesische 27

§  Berlin Center for Integrative Mediation

§  Kreuzberg Museum

§  Site of the camp after the 2014-2015 marches in Kreuzberg

§  Bantabaa restaurant

§  A refugee arrival center in/near Berlin

-          Equipment

o   Notebooks, laptop, audio recording device and camera (both on my phone)

-          Information I will gather

o   Notes and potentially audio recordings from conversations

o   Pictures (of people, places, workplaces of migrants, etc.)

o   Data on income, standard of living, unemployment, population distribution, and other relevant metrics to compare the experiences of migrants versus other Berliners.

REFERENCES

Caste, Stephen, and Mark J. Miller. “The Migratory Process and the Formation of Ethnic Minorities.” The Age of Migration. New York, NY: Guilford, 2014. 20-49. Print.

Coldwell, Will. "Refugees Tell a Different Berlin Story." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media, 28 Nov. 2015. Web. 10 May 2017.

Katz, Bruce, Luise Noring, and Nantke Garrelts. "Cities and Refugees: The German Experience | Brookings Institution." Brookings. Brookings, 11 Oct. 2016. Web. 15 May 2017.

"Political Institutions And Asylum Policies – The Case Of Germany." Psychosociological Issues in Human Resource Management 4.2 (2016): 122. 2016. Web. May 2017.

"The Stages of the Asylum Procedure." BAMF - Bundesamt Für Migration Und Flüchtlinge - The Stages of the Asylum Procedure. Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, n.d. Web. 01 June 2017.

"Statistical Data on Refugees." Data of the Federal Statistical Office. N.p., 2017. Web. 01 June 2017.

Wilder, Charly. "In Berlin, a Grass-Roots Fight Against Gentrification as Rents Soar." The New York Times. The New York Times, 18 Mar. 2017. Web. 10 May 2017.