Overview

Multiculturalism and the Nation in Germany: A Study in Moral Conflict examines the new debates surrounding matters of multiculturalism, immigration, and national identity in Germany in the wake of the 2015 Refugee Crisis. Arguing that contemporary disputes are centered around four moral ideals, or ideal visions of the German community, it draws upon the thought of Émile Durkheim to identify the role of the sacred in political conflict. The book argues that at the heart of each moral ideal is a sacred object that legitimates specific policies and behaviors, and that attempts to realize moral ideals lead to conflicts involving free speech, German Memory Culture, inner-party rivalries, and political violence that go to the very essence of what it means to be German. The book includes a ground-breaking theoretical reworking of Durkheim’s sociology, which it applies to the study of power and politics, as well as to debates in political philosophy. This volume will appeal to scholars across disciplines with interests in political sociology, comparative politics, social and political theory, and questions of citizenship, national identity, and belonging.

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9781032229959

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Reviews

'Paul Carls casts a spotlight on the reappearance of militant antagonisms between neo-nationalist movements and their opponents in the context of the world refugee crisis. Adapting Durkheim’s sociology of religion, Carls shows how collective representations, such as cultural images of the Nazi and anti-Nazi past, multiply social mobilization over and above economic issues and class locations. A work of dramatic impact with strong theoretical underpinnings.' - Randall Collins, author of Explosive Conflict: Time-Dynamics of Violence. 'This is an exceptionally interesting examination of the moral dimension of political life. Drawing on a deep and extensive knowledge of the thought of Durkheim and his followers, Carls reveals its surprising power to illuminate conflicts in Germany generated by the 2015 refugee crisis, by focusing on what the contending social and political movements held to be sacred in their idealized visions of community.' - Steven Lukes, Professor Emeritus of Sociology, New York University ' ... an important contribution in the field of comparative extremism research.' - Uwe Backes, Politics, Religion & Ideology

Author Information

Paul Carls obtained a PhD in political science from the Université de Montréal in 2020, was a course lecturer at the same institution, and completed a post-doctoral stay at the Luxembourg Institute for Socio-Economic Research.

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