Footballers with Migration Background in the German National Football Team
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“It is about the flag on your chest!” Footballers with Migration Background in the German National Football Team. A matter of inclusion? An Explorative Case Study on Nationalism, Integration and National Identity. Oscar Brito Capon Master Thesis in Sociology Department of Sociology and Human Geography Faculty of Social Sciences University of Oslo June 2012 Oscar Brito Capon - Master Thesis in Sociology 2 Oscar Brito Capon - Master Thesis in Sociology Foreword Dear reader, the present research work represents, on one hand, my dearest wish to contribute to the understanding of some of the effects that the exclusionary, ethnocentric notions of nationhood and national belonging – which have characterized much of western European thinking throughout history – have had on individuals who do not fit within the preconceived frames of national unity and belonging with which most Europeans have been operating since the foundation of the nation-state approximately 140 years ago. On the other hand, this research also represents my personal journey to understand better my role as a citizen, a man, a father and a husband, while covered by a given aura of otherness, always reminding me of my permanent foreignness in the country I decided to make my home. In this sense, this has been a personal journey to learn how to cope with my new ascribed identity as an alien (my ‘labelled forehead’) without losing my essence in the process, and without forgetting who I also am and have been. This journey has been long and tough in many forms, for which I would like to thank the help I have received from those who have been accompanying my steps all along. I would like to especially thank my academic advisor professor Grete Brochmann at ISF at the University of Oslo for her support, wise guidance, and for giving me constant motivation by making me believe my work was valuable when I felt the most it wasn’t. I would also like to thank Jon Erik Dølvik at Fafo for taking the time to give me useful advice that helped me discover new angles for my research, which with certainty helped me improve it and finish it. My gratitude goes also to Sven Ismer at the Freie University of Berlin, who agreed to meet me and ‘unlock’ much of my research by giving me invaluable information. I want to thank my aunt ‘Malina’ for never losing faith in me. To all my friends. Finally, my eternal gratitude goes to my beloved Elin and my sparkling sons Julian and Mateo for their unconditional love, understanding, support and patience, which kept me going trough this journey. Without them any of this would had been possible. A mis amores, que ellos son mi hogar y mi país. This thesis is dedicated to my grandfather, Elias Capon, for showing me the path and for teaching me that the world is a wonderful place! Oslo, June 2012. 3 Oscar Brito Capon - Master Thesis in Sociology 4 Oscar Brito Capon - Master Thesis in Sociology Summary During the last football World Cup in South Africa, Norwegian journalist and writer Aslak Nore pointed out in a newspaper that in contrast to other Western European national football teams (NFT), the Danish NFT stood out since it did not include players with migration background. This, he claimed, was due to Danmark’s lack of an effective integration strategy and its failed immigration and integration policies. Additionally, Nore claimed, Denmark’s ‘white’ national team was also proof of the hostile attitudes from the government and the population in general towards Denmark’s immigrant population. Although Nore’s explanation is a simplification of complex and complicated social phenomena such as integration and/or xenophobia and/or nationalism or patriotism, his argument had an interesting point: the ethnic composition of the Danish national team was certainly not representative of the proportion of immigrants or people with migration background living in that country. Furthermore, after a quick analysis of the ethnic composition of the other western European NFTs, it can be said that the number of players with migration background has not been representative of the proportion of immigrants who have arrived to Western Europe over the last 50 years. Although it is true that factors such as integration and immigration policies cannot be excluded from an analysis at a macro level, at the same time other equally important factors at a micro level had to be taken into account to have a more complete picture of the above mentioned phenomenon. Thus, this thesis has drawn in the sentiment-factor related to people’s notions of a national unity (notion of nationhood) and national sense of belonging, which make up the national ethos, as well as the values and meanings added to these notions at individual and national level in a historical perspective. Thus, this thesis uses Nore’s claim as a source of inspiration, and tries to figure out the premises that underlie the fact that players with migration background are underrepresented in most European NFTs. In order to discern the mechanisms behind this phenomenon, the present research focus on Germany and its A-NFT (Senior NFT) as a case study. The intention behind this choice was to take advantage of Germany’s historical ethnocentric notions of national unity (notions of nationhood) and national belonging, in order to confirm or reject the hypothesis that assumed an interaction between them and immigrants’ integration level and sense of national identity. At the same time, this thesis analyses how the resulting effects of this 5 Oscar Brito Capon - Master Thesis in Sociology interaction have an impact on both the recruitment of players with immigrant background to the NFT, and the number of players with migration backgrounds who actually choose to play for Germany despite the fact that their national belonging and loyalty are constantly questioned, not only by proud nationalists, but also by ordinary citizens and the media. The assumption made in this thesis is that the interaction referred above has an impact on the ethnic composition of the German NFT. The present study gives a brief explanation of the terms used in it, together with a short review of Germany’s history of national formation and its social development for the last 70 years. This thesis also takes into account the history of immigration caused by the so-called Wirtschaftswunder in the middle of the ‘50s and the development of the immigration policy, as well as it focuses on the changes made with the immigration and citizenship laws in the late ‘90s. Germany’s football history is also discussed, along with and a brief analysis of football’s importance from a historical and social perspective. Similarly, this study sheds light on other factors that also affect the participation of players with migration background in the NFT, including (a) Germany’s own understanding of nationhood and belonging through history, notions which in turn have affected DFB’s (German Football Federation) attitudes toward, and interest in, players with migration background; (b) immigrants’ lack of integration and class differences between them and the majority; (c) the discrimination they experience on a daily basis; (d) immigrants’ own national identity and the notion of belonging; and finally (e) Germany’s lack of experience with immigrants from non-western countries which I suggest can be attributed to its non- colonial history. These are the main themes analyzed in this work. ! ! 6 Oscar Brito Capon - Master Thesis in Sociology Table of contents Foreword....................................................................................................................................3 Summary....................................................................................................................................5 Table of contents........................................................................................................................7 Introduction..............................................................................................................................9 Empirical background for the present study......................................................................9 Research questions...........................................................................................................10 Thesis structure................................................................................................................13 Final reflections...............................................................................................................15 Chapter One - Clarification of Concepts.............................................................................16 1.1 Nation and nationalism: a question of ‘when’?.........................................................16 1.2 The nation: an introduction........................................................................................16 1.3 Modernism.................................................................................................................17 1.4 Neo-perennialism.......................................................................................................18 1.5 Ethno-symbolism.......................................................................................................18 1.6 Nationalism and its many meanings..........................................................................19 1.7 Identity and national identity.....................................................................................21 1.8 Identifying ourselves as a