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Global Issues

Immigration Society

How can we shape a stronger sense of community in an immigration society?

The Situation

Immigration has been a social reality for centuries. Germany, too, has long been an immigration society – and not just since the influx of immigration seen in recent years. While some do recognize the opportunities in migration-related diversity, others are more uncertain and find immigration harder to accept. This makes it difficult for people with a history of migration to participate in society on an equal footing. They may suffer from different forms of discrimination and are poorly represented. Their needs are frequently ignored, while individual potential and the resulting opportunities for society as a whole are widely underexploited.

The Goal

A society that sees itself as an immigration society includes all those living in that society. People with a history of migration bring different ways of life and cultures to enrich society. We aim to shape our shared local life together, taking into account the needs, viewpoints, and potential of all – regardless of background, religion, or skin color and across communities. We believe it is important to tackle racial discrimination head on, to embody respect and solidarity in our communities, and to ensure a level playing field to include everybody in society.

Our Strategy

We support cross-sectoral, municipal alliances in developing their strategies for integration and engagement. Additional we play a role in strengthening civil society and support its actors, especially representatives of migrant civil society, in their work toward living together in an immigration society. Migration, including both the potential and challenges that come with it, is not bound by national borders. We encourage international cooperation to support dialogue, cross-border learning on how to deal with immigration, and best practice transfer.
Our focus

News and insights

Publication

No Longer at the Limit: Why the Situation of Municipalities in Refugee Reception Remains Challenging…

Insights from our study 'Diversity Barometer'

Diversity can help create identity: How we can strengthen social cohesion

A piece by Ottilie Bälz, Head of our...

Current study

Diversity Barometer 2025: Acceptance of diversity in Germany is declining

Acceptance is declining particularly sharply with regard to ethnic origin and...

Publication

The Diversity Barometer 2025 – Key findings in brief

Integration

“We can do it” – Ten years later

Read the dossier

Ayse Özbabacan, Commissioner for Integration in Stuttgart

“We need to talk about our successes"

A look at successful integration efforts in recent years – and why they...

Migration researcher Hannes Schammann

“There was no debate – Do we want to make it happen?”

Why integration policy in Germany has...

Frauke Frech, 'Grand Beauty Salon' project

“My hope that the state would act ‘outside the box’ has not been fulfilled”

Khalid Al Aboud, journalist from Syria

“Listen more closely to us refugees!”

On key perspectives that could advance the integration debate in Germany.

Raphaela Schweiger, migration expert at the Robert Bosch ��һ�Թ��

“We mustn't be intimidated by the changed political game”

How foundations can help advance...

Queer migrants

“I was shocked that racism is openly practiced even in the queer community”

Three participants in our project for queer refugees tell their stories.

Inequality

Intersectionality: Understanding Multiple Discrimination, Transforming Power Structures

Publication

A LEVEL up! for Support Programs

Publication

REPCHANCE Spain

Migration policy

Ukrainian refugees in Poland: strong civil society, successful integration

Integration that relies on community: Poland’s response to Ukrainian refugees

Publication

Repchance Europe

Structural racism

When it is not only individuals who discriminate...

Institutional and structural racism is often less visible but just as...

Publication

Unpacking Structural and Institutional Racism in 8 EU Member States

Publication

(K)ein Kunststück

Publication

The “common we” in rural areas

Immigration society

Why Islam and Germany Go Hand in Hand

Here are eight good reasons why Islam and Muslims play an integral role in German life.

Opinion piece by our migration expert

A Dangerous Distortion: The Debate on the Return of Syrian Refugees

Instead of starting populist debates,...

Migrants in Germany

5 Misconceptions about Integration – and What the Facts Really Say

Fact-based arguments for a topic that is often the subject of heated...

Education and integration

How refugees can also obtain the German school-leaving certificate

A school in Bielefeld is testing new integration concepts and demonstrating...

Publication

Tackle Structural and Institutional Racism in the EU

REPCHANCE study

Facing high walls – why access to politics is still difficult for people with a migration background

Publication

Key Issues and Policy Recommendations

Field report

The power of sharing: Power sharing in practice

Power sharing aims to make power structures more fair. Project participants share their experiences.

Guest article

“The General Act on Equal Treatment needs to be reformed urgently”

Germany has one of the weakest anti-discrimination laws in Europe. A call for...

Panel discussion with focus on the cultural sector

Funding program LEVEL up!

The power of migrant organizations in Germany

There are around 14,000 migrant organizations in Germany. The LEVEL up! program shows the impact they make.

Report

Refugee moms: Together strong!

Language barriers and isolation make it hard for refugee mothers to support their children's education. How...

Commentary

When silent groups are no longer silent...

For a long time, people with a migration background were considered a silent group. But this is now changing,...

What does the Job of an Islamic Affairs Consultant entail?

How do Muslims become active partners in society? How can dialog be created...

Integration in rural areas

Create integration services for all refugees

How can we sustainably integrate refugees and immigrants who live in rural areas of Germany? The program...

Sound facts on the immigration society

“The Migration media service is as important today as it was in the year it was founded”

Anti-discrimination tool

The bot at your side

Every year, thousands of people experience discrimination in Germany. Said Haider and his team are working on an intelligent chatbot that supports the...

Urban versus Rural Areas: How Can Integration Work?

The study “Two Worlds”, examines local integration policies in close to...

Publication

Cohesion in Diversity: Diversity Barometer of the Robert Bosch ��һ�Թ�� 2019

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Discover our projects

Immigration Society

Moving Cities

We support the development of an online platform that presents local approaches to promote the inclusion of refugees and people with a history of migration.

Immigration Society

Integration Hub

We promote integration hubs as local places for exchange and collaboration between newcomers and people who are already resident. The space is used for encounters, advice and the development of new ideas for the...

Immigration Society

Land.Zuhause.Zukunft

We support innovative and viable approaches to the integration and participation of newcomers to rural regions.

Immigration Society

Islamic Affairs Consultant as Part of the Partnership with Muslims in Baden-Württemberg

Immigration Society

Strengthen the integration of queer refugees and migrants

Immigration Society

StaF: Mentoring program to strengthen the social participation of foreign nursing professionals

Immigration Society

Power sharing in Immigration Society

A series of events on the implementation of power sharing in the culture, media and welfare sectors.

Immigration Society

BetterPost - Good journalism on social media

BetterPost, a project of the Neue deutsche Medienmacher:innen, promotes nuanced reporting on social media and fights hate in the comments section.

Immigration Society

(K)ein Kunststück – Powersharing in the Cultural Sector

Immigration Society

REPCHANCE - Political Representation in Inclusive Societies

Immigration Society

The Integrators

The program is giving five German municipalities the chance to implement digitally and socially innovative integration projects. We provide them with trained people from business and civil society to work on solutions for local...

Immigration Society, Migration

Europe Prykhystok

Europe Prykhystok supports children-victims of the war in Ukraine by facilitating innovative partnerships between local actors from Ukraine and Europe.

Immigration Society

NexSM: Social Media for Migration and Society – Analysis, Discourse, Learning and Networking

Immigration Society

Migration media service

The Migration media service in Germany identifies and fills knowledge gaps to bring greater objectivity to social debates.

Immigration Society

LEVEL up!

A desire for empowerment, diversity, emancipation and leadership: With this project we want to strengthen migrant organisations in the development of their work.

Immigration Society, Migration

Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative

Community Sponsorship of refugees offers a key contribution and innovative solution to migration policy. The Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative...

Immigration Society

Integration Futures Working Group

The initiative is working to develop a fresh agenda for integration policy in Europe by bringing together senior integration policymakers and...

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Our focus

AdobeStock / Halfpoint

Municipal action

The municipality is the central place where people live together. A place to see and experience different backgrounds, religions, and cultures. At municipal level, administrations have the power to positively shape integration by including (migrant) civil society and local business. That’s why we empower municipal employees and leaders to put immigration society firmly on the agenda and grow their skills in this area. Together, we derive action points from local practice and support municipal stakeholders in asserting their interests vis-à-vis political decision-makers. This is complemented by exchange and cooperation between municipalities. We place a regional focus on transition regions, where structural, social, or demographic changes can have a particularly strong impact.

AdobeStock / Rawpixel Ltd.

Equal participation

For people to live well together in an immigration society, we need to really hear and acknowledge the concerns and abilities of those with a history of migration and ensure they are able to participate on an equal footing. As such, we work closely with civil society actors who represent the interests and concerns of people with a background of migration and seek to improve their engagement and representation. We use training and networking to support migrant civil society organizations (empowerment), with the aim of boosting their self-efficacy and representation, as well as their capacity for action and resilience. Together, we develop defense strategies to fight discrimination and hostility by creating advice and networking opportunities as well as safe spaces (resilience).We also support established actors and institutions in reflecting on their responsibility toward less established migrant civil society groups, widening access, and working together (powersharing).

More information

Contact person

Kira Alber

Assistant to Team Immigration Society

Phone+49 711 46084-367

e-mail to Kira Alber

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