2018 Global Diversity Exchange Annual Lecture
GDX Lecturer: Dr. Naika Foroutan, Humboldt University (Berlin)
Please join us for the 2018 edition of the Global Diversity Exchange Annual Lecture on October 19, 2018, featuring Dr. Naika Foroutan, Director at the Berlin Institute on Integration and Migration Research (BIM) and Professor of Social Sciences at Humboldt University where her research investigates countries of immigration, their shifting identities as well as their prevalent attitudes towards minorities. Dr. Foroutan led on the much acclaimed research projects HEYMAT (Hybrid European Muslim Identities) and JUNITED (New Islam-related-topics in Germany), and has published widely on the themes of shifting identities in Germany, attitudes towards Muslims in Germany as well as on post-migrant societies – developing a new theoretical framework for analyzing transformations in migration-impacted societies.
It is undeniable that Europe is in a crisis. We see shifts in core values and democratic principles reflected in an alarmingly strong and ever-growing anti-immigration, right-wing populism. Migration has become a deeply polarized subject, exposing the fault lines in the pro-diversity political cultures of many European countries. The crisis continues to be framed around the increasing heterogeneity of society and fear of losing one’s national identity. Yet current analyses fail to explain the interconnection between right-wing populism, social inequality and anxiety about lost economic status within wealthy western European countries
At the 2018 GDX Lecture, Dr. Foroutan will address the growth of right-wing populism in Europe with a particular focus on Germany, arguing that the rejection of already negotiated, fought for norms and values of plural democracies poses a serious challenge to the possibilities of inclusive nationalism.
After her lecture, Dr. Foroutan is joined by The Honourable Ratna Omidvar, GDX founder and Independent Senator for Ontario, Senate of Canada, for a conversation about populism, pluralism and nation-building in a post-migration society - what can Canada learn from Germany?
We hope that you will be able to join us for a thought-provoking evening.
The GDX Annual Lecture is a yearly tradition of exploring big ideas on diversity, prosperity and migration that matter to a world on the move. This year's lecture is co-hosted by Cities of Migration and the Immigration and Settlement Studies (ISS) Program at Ryerson University, and held in partnership with The Consulate of Germany in Canada (Toronto), the Goethe-Institut Canada and the Institute for Canadian Citizenship.
For more information, visit the Cities of Migration Learning Exchange
Inquiries at citiesofmigration@ryerson.ca
Global Diversity Exchange website
Register now: Link to registration