Migration and Extremism

Germany is no stranger to migration. It played a significant role in economic reconstruction in the 1960s, significantly shaped how Germany’s population is composed today, and the expertise, fresh outlook and knowledge of international migrants play an integral part in Germany’s scientific and technological communities. But as history also shows, migration has also created conflicts that seriously challenge our democracies. Security concerns and fear control the current debate in Europe and the United States, pushing distrust and political tensions to the center of the political agenda. The international flow of migration is an issue that touches nearly all regions of the world. Forced migration is usually treated as a series of crises while in reality, it is a chronic, perennial and global problem. As such, it needs to be addressed taking into account its underlying causes and the global context in which it is situated.