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"It's difficult to say what is non-American"

Dylan Goldblatt ist Gastprofessor an der TU Dortmund und kommt aus dem US-Bundesstaat Virginia. Zum ersten Mal kam er 2002 nach Deutschland im Rahmen eines Austauschs. Für ein Jahr lebte er damals in einer türkisch-deutschen Gastfamilie. Für unser Projekt beantwortete Fragen über…

Noah Goldblatt, Gastprofessor an der TU Dortmund.

…integration in Germany: 

"In Germany, you see relatively few black people. Compared to Massachusetts, that is strange, as Massachusetts is really diverse. Here, if a black person walks down the street, everybody is staring at him or her. It’s like a stigma. People can’t help but stare. I am still caught off-guard when I hear people refer to marshmallow candy as Negerküsse. Using such language in jest would be rare in the US today, although it was probably common 40 years ago. Compared to the African community in Dortmund, I find that Turkish people are much more integrated. Most people here have Turkish friends and enjoy the Turkish cuisine. I think there has been a lot of progress in Germany since the days of Fassbinder’s Ali Angst essen Seele auf. There is a strong social integration for Turkish people. People are very tolerant here, but they still have a fascination with non-German cultures."

…integration in the USA:

"The Hispanic community is analogous to the Turkish community in Germany. But still, it is different: Students in the US learn Spanish in school, love the cuisine of Spanish speaking countries or take trips to the Spanish speaking world. And on the political level, the Latino/Latina community has a lot of power. However, some of the debate about keeping so-called illegal immigrants out of the country involves an unfortunate, racist element. It is also very short-sighted: many US citizens benefit from the work performed by illegal immigrants, because they work below the legally-mandated minimum wage, but few are willing to grant them the same rights that American workers enjoy."

…multiculturalism:

"Multiculturalism is a term that seems to be used less and less frequently in the United States. The hot word in the USA now is diversity, meaning multiculturalism plus tolerance for people of all walks of life. Beyond the in inclusion of various ethnicities, races, and nationalities, the notion of comprehensive diversity accounts for the various intersections of these groups with other demographics, including persons with disabilities, members of the LGBT community, and devoutly religious persons as well as atheists. When I am in the US, I never give much thought to who is of what ethnicity. If you go shopping in a mall, you will get a fair mix of all cultures and ethnicities. Multiculturalism in the USA is about giving respect to diverse backgrounds, but it is also about assimilation. The pressure to integrate oneself is so high that it is very difficult to say what is non-American."

…multiculturalism in Boston:

"Relatively few immigrants from Mexico make it up to Boston. On the other hand, increasing numbers of immigrants from the Caribbean populate the city. It is a vibrant city, but not nearly as densely populated as places like New York City. People from Boston have a very local pride. There is a large Irish community, so the Irish aspect is associated with Boston very strongly. But when it comes to overall diversity, I feel that Massachusetts is leading the game in the USA. That is a state where you will find people from all walks of life in positions of authority. There’s a very tolerant atmosphere there that makes me feel at home."

…multiculturalism in Dortmund:

"When I think of Dortmund and multiculturalism, I think of blue-collar workers and Turkish people who grew up here. Personally, I feel that only the taxi drivers do not belong to one of those two groups, they are mostly from other backgrounds. What I enjoy is that the U. It is a culture hub. When I first arrived in Dortmund, there was a wonderful Japanese anime exhibition, for example. That shows that the residents of this city are intrigued by other cultures and eager to engage in multicultural awareness."

Interview by Marie Denecke

"I was surprised by the diversity"

Ashleigh lebt in Boston.

Ashleigh ist in Boston geboren, aufgewachsen und lebt auch heute noch dort. Derzeit arbeitet sie für einen Verlag. Sie hat Boston für einige Zeit verlassen, um zur Universität zu gehen und lebte kurzzeitig in New York City und Virginia, bevor sie 2010 zurück nach Bostonn ging. Ashleigh hat schon mehrere Länder in Europa bereist und besuchte Dortmund im April dieses Jahres. Für unser Projekt beantwortete sie Fragen über...

…diversity in Boston:

"Boston is incredibly diverse, and I believe Boston proper is only 50% white.  Boston is also known for its queer-friendly neighborhoods, which we take pride in. One reason for its diversity is because it’s an educational hub and people come from all over the world to attend our universities and colleges. At the same time, Boston is still segregated in certain neighborhoods. Although there are multicultural neighborhoods, there are still certain areas that are still predominately white, black, etc.  With gentrification, I’ve seen a places shift because low-income families or minorities are pushed out because of urban redevelopment." 

…multiculturalism:

"When I read the word multiculturalism on your blog for the first time, I felt taken back in time to the early 90’s when people talked about it a lot. It embraces so much, like different lifestyles and different cultural backgrounds."

…multiculturalism in Europe and Dortmund:

"What I noticed first when I visited Europe was the number of African immigrants, especially when I visited Italy in 2003.  From the outside there seemed to be these insular communities, which I also saw in Dortmund when I came to visit. But I also saw non-immigrant German people of color. I was surprised by the diversity in Dortmund, especially because when you think of Germany the stereotypical notion of a nation of blond hair and blue-eyed people comes up.  But it was nice to see different Turkish and African communities."

Interview: Marie Denecke