Leitkultur Meets German Angst: On the Role of Values and Needs in the German Debate on the Integration of Refugees and Migrants

Abstract

The term ‘culture’ is an open one. Various meanings can be attached to it. This chapter focuses on the connection of certain aspects of ‘culture’ to what is perceived as individual and collective identity. The example of a German ‘guiding culture’ serves as a point of departure to address the following questions: First, how can ‘culture’ in general be defined, and how is it linked to what is perceived as individual or collective identity? Second, do we need policies defending a particular culture, and (how) can a ‘guiding culture’ be justified? Third, what has—international and national—law got to do with it? Fourth, what lies beneath cultural defence politics, and which lessons can be drawn from a more thorough understanding of these underlying motives? It is suggested to add a needs-based view to the debate about the integration of migrants and refugees in a society.