<
>
Download

Fachbereichsarbeit
Soziologie

Lüdinghausen

2012

Andrea V. ©
5.50

0.48 Mb
sternsternsternsternstern
ID# 21336







Americanisation vs. Islamisation in German neighbourhoods

Table of contents

1.     Introduction 3

2.     Definitions  

2.1  Americanisation 4

2.2  Islamisation 4

3.     Process in German towns

3.1  Americanisation in German towns 5

3.2  Islamisation in German towns 7

4.     How people react on Islamisation 9
and Americanisation (analysis survey)


5.     Comparison between Islamisation and Americanisation 17

6.     Conclusion  18

7.     References 19

8.     Appendix  20


1. Introduction

Imagine you go through an ordinary German town. Are you somehow impressed or surprised by anything? Does anything draw its attention to you? No?
Now, I want you to go through the same town a second time. But look at it regarding Americanisation. What do you see and assume to be typically American? Mc Donald’s, Subway or Burger King? Are these fast-food chains nowadays not represented in any medium-sized German town?
Furthermore, what else do you see? Do you not read an English slogan in the commercial of the corner shop, for exampleDouglas: Come in and find out” or “Lufthansa: There is no better way to fly”.
Finally I want you to follow me a third time into the same town.
But this time, I want you to look for details concerning Islamisation.
Right away we find a Kebab shop where you can buy Döner, Lahmacun or Dürüm.

If you move on would you not meet a woman with a headscarf?
Due to the fact that we live in a very globalized world today Islamisation and Americanisation of German culture and German society have caught my interest.
In my opinion it is very fascinating and impressive how a national culture and language as well as the whole society can be affected by Islamisation and Americanisation.

You will find Americanisation and Islamisation everywhere. It is a slow process that makes the world grow closer together but in addition brings a lot of variety to Germany.
My class paper with the main topic “Americanisation versus Islamisation in German neighbourhoods” deals with the question of awareness of Islamisation and Americanisation in German society.
Additionally, I want to point out people´s reaction to this issue, if and how there is an antipathy to Islamisation and Americanisation.
Do we accept Americanisation in our society while Islamisation is a tabu? - or is it perhaps the other way round?

First I want to define what Americanisation and Islamisation means.
The main section of my work deals with in which way you can find Americanisation and Islamisation in German towns.
 The next main section is about how people react on Islamisation and Americanisation. Here I want to discuss my enquiry in which I asked questions to people in different German towns and cities about this issue.

At the end I will summarize all the results of my work to draw a conclusion between Americanisation and Islamization in Germany.


2 Definitions

2.1 Americanisation:

Americanisation is a term to describe the influence of the United States on other cultures and societies.
Countries, in this case Germany, adapt to North American conditions. “It is meant the whole culture and way of thinking as well as the ‘American way of life’ “. [1]
“The term Americanisation has been used since at least 1907”[2].

2.2 Islamisation:

Islamisation also called Islamification is a term to describe the process of a society’s conversion to thereligion of Islam and its culture. “The English synonyms, Muslimization and Arabisation, in use since before 1940 (e.g., Waverly Illustrated Dictionary) convey a similar meaning.”[3]


3. Process in German towns

3.1 Americanisation in German towns:

If you go through a middle-sized German town, it is not hard to find American influences, which change the town’s appearance as well as the society that lives in it.
On the one hand you will find fast-food restaurants, for example Mc Donald or Burger King. “[4]Mc Donald´s, which opened its first German branch in Munich 1971, added sixty nine new outlets in 2002, bringing the total number of its restaurants in Germany over 1,200”[5].

Their concept to get fast warm food is American. But not only the way of food, the design of the stores and shops, the way of commercial and the outward appearance is a typical American style. They use big advertising hoardings mostly with English slogans or illuminated panels which are very eye-catching.
If you enter a shop the number of slogans increases. These slogans are used to lure people to buy something.

Especially young people are the mainly targeted group.
For this reason English words got integrated into the German vocabulary and are used as Anglicism. “There are “events” and “highlights” everywhere and terms like “news”, “call-center”, “user” , “meeting” , “shopping” und “city” , to mention just a few. These expressions have replaced our own words in everyday use.

It is considered “up to date” if the media, industry, advertisements – generally speaking the leaders in our consumer and fun society – “[…] talk to us in a mixture of German and American which is mockingly called ‘Denglisch’. Paradoxically, according to an EU survey only 51% of Germans can communicate in English, in the new Bundesländer only 26%.”[6]
But not only in our language Americanization is noticeable, but also in the convenience food we are consuming.

Who has not eaten microwave food? This type of food is typical American and a lot of Americans eat it every day.
Moreover when you turn on the TV, how is the percentage of television programmes that comes from America especially the USA? Hollywood films and comedy dramas are part of the generations’ lifestyle (for example: The Simpsons, Scrubs, and the Nanny). “U.S. products like talk, reality, and court TV shows are “creolized” for German audiences.”[7] “In 1990, three quarters of films shown in German movie houses were imported from North America.”[8] “People who tend to watch TV channels like ARTE and 3SAT will occasionally take a look at the entertainment-based RTL Plus or CNN news as well.”[9]”Also books and the way of writing became different in Germany.

Blue jeans or labels like Ed Hardy and Abercrombie dominate the style of many Germans.

In conclusion Americanisation is a process which began in the twentieth century. The better connection of both continents is a catalyst in this process. Not only because of daily flights but especially due to television the United States seem to be close. Americanisation influences the German society for a long time and gave it a new face through blue jeans for example.

Modern life is unimaginable without Americanisation, it is rooted in the society. Many people enjoy going to fast food restaurants after work, school or party, because you can get fast warm food without stress. Children grow up with English nowadays, everyone has to learn it at school at least for a year and the USA still is an attractive destination.
Americanisation influences Germany and the process is going on.


3.2 Islamisation in German towns:

There are between 3.8 and 4.3 million[11] Muslims living in Germany.Expressed as a percentage of Germany‘s total population of around 82 million, the proportion of Muslims is between 4.6 and 5.2 per cent”[12]. Therefore it is obvious that the Islam has to be a part of Germany.
If you go to a middle-sized German town, you do not directly notice Islamization of the German culture, but you can find it.
Two million of four million Muslims are German and the number grows every year.

Certainly they want to have a voice in society.
But you cannot say “the Muslim”. The Muslim population in Germany is highly heterogeneous. Muslims are people of different countries in which 63. 2 percent have Turkish roots.
In most of the middle-sized German towns in North Rhine-Westphalia you can find a mosque or it is planned to build one because one in three Muslims in Germany resides in North Rhine-Westphalia.
You can find women with headscarves in the street, which is typical of the Islamic religion. Just one in five Muslim women fewer 66 years but every second over the age of 66 years wears a headscarf.

Sometimes you can find special food in the school cafeteria and single-sex sport lessons, as well.
But not every Muslim has this opinion. There are four different denominations in the Islam religion, 74% are Sunnis, 7% Shiites, 13% Alevis and 6% other. Only 36% of all Muslims in Germany describe themselves as very religious.

In conclusion Islamisation is a process with different faces. You cannot say something is typical Islamic because many people of different countries are Muslims. In my work I am usually speaking about Islamic characterized elements. These elements are mainly Turkish because 63.2 percent of the Muslims in Germany are from Turkey.
Islamic culture is determined by different types because there are four different denominations in the Islam religion.

Muslims came to Germany with their culture but only about the half of them are living it consequently and changing in this way a part of the German culture. They want the German culture to change in a special manner (for example special food, single sex sport lesson) to help them living their religion.


4. How people react on Islamisation and Americanisation (analysis survey)

 How do people react on Islamisation and Americanisation? Is there a real reaction to it or do they not notice it? I went to some towns in Germany and asked people a few questions about the issue Americanisation and Islamization.
Now I want to discuss the answers and analyze you how people think about these topics.
I began intentionally with the question “Do you like to travel?” to see, if the person is open to foreign countries and maybe different cultures.

 


The people I asked in my survey are able to speak English, at least up to the age of 40. At the age of 40 to 60 years, about one in three men and one in five women cannot speak English. Obviously between 60-100 years the number is increasing.
This development is very interesting. It shows that up to the age of 40 English is quite important and is part of the society.

It has become more important in the education especially within the last 50 years. Nowadays the children get in contact with the first English words like numbers and colours already in kindergarten.
 Surprisingly English is not the natural language of the respondents but more than half of the underage prefer English slogans instead of German ones.

Between 18 and 25 years around about one in three of the male participants and around 45 percent of female participants prefer English slogans. People older than 40 years like German slogans better than English ones. It underlines the fact that the target group of English slogans are young people.
Here it is evident that English has become a part of culture and education of young people, and the English language is common in everyday life.


Even though many people in Germany eat a lot of American fast food, almost only the younger ones would accept a fast food restaurant next to their house.
Again it is pointed out that especially the young society is influenced by the American culture and a target group of this kind of restaurants. Factors against fast food restaurants are pollution and smell but also fear of customer crowds.

Every man under 18 years and 80 percent of women believe the German culture is influenced by the USA. 86.5 percent of male respondents at the age of 18 up to 25 years and 96.3 percent of female have the same opinion. Surprisingly 100 percent at the age of 25-40 years have this opinion.
The questions regarding the Islamisation of the German culture gave us some interesting answers as well.


Many people would be annoyed if there was a mosque built close to their home. Around two of three responders under 18 years, 74 percent of men and 64 percent of women between the age of 18- 25 would have a problem with a Mosque next to their house. But you cannot really point out an age-dependent divergence.
By asking more precisely we got the answer that the muezzin might be too loud if he was calling the people to pray as well they are annoyed by the praying of the Muslims.


Furthermore it is surprising that 3/4 of the woman at the age of 40 -60 are bothered a woman with headscarf, even though it is clothing. Generally speaking women seem to be more disturbed by headscarf wearing women. At the age of 18 up to 25 years, 64 percent, and at the age of fewer than 18 75 percent responded with “yes” to this question.

A reason for this tendency might be the identification with the women.
If you take a look at the men, only half of them are bothered by this religious tradition.
It is obvious that many people are put off by headscarves. Moreover you have to say that only one in five Muslim women fewer than 66 years wear it. Despite only few Muslim women wear it, it is a stigmatized sign for a Muslim woman.

For us it shows Muslims proclaiming obviously that they are Muslims. German people are disturbed by members of this religious group and maybe do not want them in their environment.

Islamic influenced food is gladly eaten by around 70 percent of the respondents.

But the opinions differ in the question if they accept a Döner shop close to their house.

I was surprised by the answers of the next question. Especially the men at the age of 25-40 years call the German culture not influenced by Islamic culture. Contrasting, around the half of man and woman at the age of 18 up to 25 years think that the German culture is influenced by the Islamic culture.

 

 
This question points out the varying view in the cross-section of the population. You find many people who are influenced or maybe nerved by the Islamic culture, other do not even notice an influence. Certainly the region where people are asked affects the results. In difference to Americanisation that takes place in almost every part of Germany, Islamization has a deeper impact in the Ruhr Area or Berlin.
In conclusion I would say that the responders notice Islamization as well as Americanization and partly are disturbed by it.

They do not have a problem with the Islam or with the United States but do not want the further negative consequences in their immediate environment for example increasing rubbish in the streets close to a fast food restaurant.
The American and Islamic dominated food is gladly eaten but most people do not want an American or Islamic food shop in their area.
Just a few citizens of Germany are disturbed by people talking Turkish or American English but I had the impression they have a problem with foreigners living here who do not speak German at all.
Therefore Americanization and Islamization disturbs people equally.
Another enquiry, which I found on the internet pointed out: where the Islam has become clearly visible in society, the protest of residents against headscarf in schools, big Mosques and “Muslim Ghettos” increased.[13]
In the course of the elections for example the political group “pro NRW “in North-Rhine- Westphalia wants to forbid minarets like Switzerland did it.


How is Islamization compared to Americanisation noticed in the society? Why are people of Islamic religions called immigrants and a person from America is seen as a friend?
Americanisation is rooted deeper than Islamisation in Germany society. The process of Americanisation had his florescence after the Second World War.

Now the USA is present everywhere in the society for example in music, food (“but homemade products clearly can hold their own against overseas imports”)[14].Americanisation and its consequences are usual for the Germans and are not noticed strongly.
In contrast Islamisation is a process, which increases and has not arrived at its florescence yet. The process of Islamisation is different and has not been accepted in the society.

Islamisation is a mixture of different influences because Islam is not a culture but a religion. Muslims are people of different countries with different cultures who take a part of their way of living and way of religion with them when they are coming to Germany. By that the German culture is influenced in various ways.
Islamisation is not as popular as Americanisation, but if something is built for example a mosque with a minaret, everybody in the surrounding pays attention to it.
There are American restaurants as well as Arabic ones.
Islamic as well as American fashion labels are more common in Germany.
But a lot of things are not comparable.


6. Conclusion

In my paper “Americanisation versus Islamization in German neighbourhood” I put up the question, where you can find Americanisation and Islamization in Germany and what are the differences. At one point I came to the conclusion that you can locate Americanisation in all areas because it is a special form of Modernisation and Globalisation. Many things in the German technology, society or fashion are “cool” and “modern”, but American.

In contrast, the Islamization of Germany has to be seen on a completely different level.The Islam is not a culture, it is a religion. A religion you can find in many countries of the world. 63.2 percent of the in Germany living Muslims are from Turkey, but of course there are also others with another cultural background.

If one talks about Islamization, one can talk about mosques being built, but not about Turkish television programmes like you can do with Americanization and CNN.

Islamization is a process from different cultures that have one thing in common, religion. Another main question that was discussed in my paper is how German people react on Islamization and Americanisation. For this reason I have asked people of different sex and age about this issue. The main result I got in my enquiry was that not everybody realises Americanisation and Islamisation.


7. References

Literature:

Berghahn Books,Stephan, A., AMERICANIZATION AND ANTI-AMERICANISM
 
The German encounter with American culture after 1945 “o.O.” (2005)

Berghahn Books,Stephan, A. THE AMERICANIZATION OF EUROPE
Culture, Diplomacy, and Anti-Americanism after 1945 “o.O.” (2006)

Praeger Publishers, Epitropoulos M. and Roudometof V., AMERICAN CULTURE IN EUROPE “o.O.” (1998)

Internet:

About Muslims and Islamization:

author: unknown ( last visit 27.3.2012)


1.97551 author: unknown (last visit 11.4.2012)

About Americanization:


author: unknown (last visit: 26th mars 2012)

 


8.Appendix


„Ich erkläre, dass ich die Facharbeit ohne fremde Hilfe angefertigt und nur die im Literaturverzeichnis angeführten Quellen und Hilfsmittel benutzt habe.“


___________


[1] (page one, Definition)

                                                                                                           

[2] (page one, Definition )


[3]  (page one: Definition)

[4](Stephan, 2006 page 81, 82, )

[5]( Stephan, 2006 page 80)

[6] (4.1 The influence of Americanization on state and society)).

[7](Stephan, 2006 ,page 82)

[8](Stephan, 2006 ,page 81)

[9](Stephan, 2006 ,page 81)

[11] (cf Appendix Germany is home to 4 Million Muslims)

[12] (cf. Appendix Germany is home to 4 Million Muslims)

[13]

[14](Stephan,2006, page.82)


| | | | |
Tausche dein Hausarbeiten