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Lobbying for Civil and Religious Rights of Immigrants and Muslims: Desecuritization Strategies of Islamic Umbrella Organizations in Germany

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Abstract

This article discusses how Islamic umbrella organizations advocate for civil rights of immigrants and Muslims in Germany. By focusing on the changing migration and security regimes at the turn of the twenty-first century, it analyzes the political emphasis on perceived “threats” in light of theoretical debates about the “securitization of migration”, and in particular, the role of Islamic organizations as lobbyists which publicly protest against associations being made between the two policy fields. Their public protest is against provisions of the new Nationality Act (2000) and the Immigration Act (2005) that require immigrants to prove German language skills, to be able to support themselves, and to pass naturalization tests as well as against the lack of dual citizenship and local voting rights. In addressing these issues, Islamic umbrella organizations expand their traditional scope of advocacy work to achieve religious rights for Muslim individuals and organizations, such as the official recognition of Islamic umbrella organizations and the introduction of Islamic religious education in public schools.

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Notes

  1. On 12 December 2012, the German Parliament approved a bill to legalize circumcision in Germany, thus ending the fierce debate (German Parliament 2012).

  2. Translations of the legal texts can be downloaded from the website of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior (http://www.bmi.bund.de).

  3. Other secular organizations such as the Turkish Community in Germany (TGD) are also important lobbyists for civil rights but are not included in this sample because this article focuses on Islamic umbrella organizations and their dual role of lobbying in the religious sphere and in the public sphere. The Association of Islamic Cultural Centres (VIKZ), which is also a KRM member organization, was excluded as an independent case study because it has only co-issued some joint press releases and has been undertaking very few political lobbying activities. The very active Alevi Community in Germany (AABF) was also excluded from the analysis because it is not associated with KRM and the other Islamic organizations due to religious differences.

  4. Among the classical works on the link between migration and security issues published before 9/11 are Wæver et al. (1993) and Graham and Poku (2000), as well as Weiner (1995) and Bigo (2001). Studies with a focus on the European level include Geddes (2000) and Huysmans (2000).

  5. In 2004 the Federal Constitutional Court declared much of the original law on telephone tapping (Großer Lauschangriff) unconstitutional (Federal Constitutional Court: 1 BvR 2378/98, 1–373, 3 March 2004).

  6. The provisions affecting the relationship between church and state in Germany are summarized in Article 140 of the German Basic Law, which includes Articles 136, 137, 138, 139 and 141 of the Weimar Constitution of 1919. FLG I (41): 2034 ff., 28 August 2006.

  7. With the exception of ethnic Germans, who automatically acquire German nationality if they fulfil the conditions of the Federal Expellee Act (Nationality Act, § 40a)

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Rosenow-Williams, K. Lobbying for Civil and Religious Rights of Immigrants and Muslims: Desecuritization Strategies of Islamic Umbrella Organizations in Germany. Int. Migration & Integration 15, 411–430 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12134-013-0291-7

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