BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : IMPORTANCE OF RACE IN THE GERMAN LABOUR MARKET, ACCULTURATIVE STRESS OF AFRO-FERMANS.

                   BLACK       SOCIAL          HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Importance of Race in the German Labour Market: Acculturative stress of Afro-Germans

Afro-Germans face a specific problem as ethnic group in Germany. Although they are born and socialized in Germany they are seen as „foreigners“ or “Fremde“. Often asked when they plan to “go back to africa”. In Germany , being german includes to be “white” .In terms of categories, the category „German“  is closed, instead afro- germans face a number of stereotypes they have to prove to be wrong. Feeling to be German as part of the identity, these conflicts are often painful, which in some cases, causes extra psychological stress to cope with.  150 Years ago the afro-american sociologist  W.E.B. du Bios explained this special circumstance for people with african heritage as “double consciousness”. A concept of duality:  the awareness of oneself and the consciousness of the stereotypes against blacks   in a white –dominated mainstream society.

During my sociological study „acculturative stress of migrants“ I examined the biographical experiences of afro-germans and migrants with European heritage in the German labour market . The response of the participants briefly showed that the double consciousness concept still is practically part of the awareness of Afro-Germans. It influences their everyday life –especially according to considerations of their professional future in Germany. A variation of coping strategies could also be evaluated in the study.

Dr. Nkechi Madubuko is Sociologist and TV-Journalist, born in Germany with Nigerian heritage. After her M.A. in sociology, media and psychology at the University of Düsseldorf, she worked as presenter at VIVA Television, Second German Television and German Sport TV. She did her PHD on Afro-German Acculturative Stress at the Philipps-University of Marburg (2010).  Scholar Friedrich Ebert Foundation and Rias Berlin Foundation.  Speaker at congress ”Europe in Black and white”, Lisboa and GSA Congress Panell “Race in German speaking countries”, Washington and was Speaker on the Black History Month 2011, Hamburg.She is the author of the Book: “Akkulturationsstress von Migranten. Berufsbiographische Akzeptanzerfahrungen und angewandte Bewältigungsstrategien“ (VS Verlag). Dr. Nkechi Madubuko is editor at 3sat the cultural channel of the second german television in Mainz, Germany. Her next project is a documentary on afro-germans in the context of WEB DuBios´s double consciousness called “ das Netz”.