Display:
Al Arabiya: Germany's Muslims on the rise but feel alienated

Germany has more Muslims than it originally thought, with nearly half of them holding German citizenship and thus able to vote in elections, according to a government survey released Tuesday, which found Muslims were religious but tended to be less socially integrated.

Muslims make up five percent of Germany's 80 million population, two percent more than most common estimates, according to the first survey of German Muslims.

Muslims in Germany are the largest minority in the country and Europe's second largest after France. Despite immigrating to Germany since the 1960s, German Muslims continue to suffer from a catalogue of deprivations like unemployment, lack of education and political representation.

by Sassafras on Tue Jun 23rd, 2009 at 01:46:14 PM EST
[ Parent ]
but this focus on "political representation" for a group of immigrants that's barely been 30-40 years in the country is, quite frankly, stupid. The first generation of kids is now barely reaching the age where they could be in positions of power, and it's rather unlikely that the first generation kids are those with the best education, chances and social background.

In fact, one could say that it's nothign short of amazing that you now have so many candidates at the local level.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Tue Jun 23rd, 2009 at 03:59:37 PM EST
[ Parent ]
The "Muslims" in Germany are mainly Turks. The "Muslims" in France are mainly North African (and now, increasingly, sub-Saharan Africans) and are largely secular. The "Muslims" in the UK are largely from East Asia...

They have very little in common, beyond that useless and largely inappropriate "we're at war with Eastasia" label.

In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes

by Jerome a Paris (etg@eurotrib.com) on Tue Jun 23rd, 2009 at 04:03:24 PM EST
[ Parent ]
Doesn't everyone feel alienated in Germany? ;-)
by paving on Tue Jun 23rd, 2009 at 04:13:42 PM EST
[ Parent ]
I do!! Everyone is so... nice... in Germany.

It's downright scary.

by Nomad on Wed Jun 24th, 2009 at 04:14:40 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Display:
Login
. Make a new account
. Reset password
Occasional Series