Muslims in germany : in-depth interviews with college students on the "otherness

Abstract EN

This paper evaluates the concept of Otherness among the Muslim college students.

Primary data was collected in Germany Hamburg and Erfurt during a month.

Through in-depth interviews, this paper answers the research questions whether the Muslim College Students in Germany see themselves as the Other or not.

It also explores how Muslim College students in Germany perceive their identity, the relation between the Muslim College Students and Society.

It also explores the relation between the Muslim College Students and the Media.

The findings of this paper show that 9 of 10 students answered that they do not have a German identity and that they are keeping their hometown identity instead.

They refuse to give up on their identity and blend in German society.

The only exception to this was a Muslim German convert who is originally German.

This shows that most of the student has a feeling of being the other in German society and can never feel fully integrated into German society.

It also discovered that most of the college students did not participate in any of these activities but would prefer to participate in Muslim activities on a political or societal level.

Furthermore, this paper discovered that 6 of 10 of the interviewed students were only using social media that is mainly concerned with their ethnic or religious community.

Because of the language barrier and the lack of time and willingness, only 2 students followed German TV channels and or newspapers and magazines.