TRANSIT BLOG

TRANSIT Blog was formerly part of the Multicultural Germany Project (MGP), which we are now merging with Transit Journal. Founded in 2001 by the German Department at UC Berkeley, MGP served as a research collaborative and continuously updated archive of migration, supported by the tireless energy and willpower of our very own Deniz Göktürk and UC Berkeley’s graduate students. Our blog includes reactions to current events and news, research materials, and teaching resources. Maintained mainly by students at Berkeley, the blog provides a window into our activities and campus discussions. We hope that TRANSIT Blog continues to serve as a resource and forum for both aspiring and continuing professionals in German Studies and its adjacent fields; we welcome contributions of short thought-pieces of ca. 1000-1500 words year-round. If you would like to contribute your own blog post or other materials (in English or German), please contact us at transitjournal@berkeley.edu.

  • Same Same but Different

    A new film by German film maker Detlef Buck, centered around a love story between a German man and a Cambodian ex-prostitute wins the Piazza Grande at Locarno.  Buck’s comments on his “modern love story” show a progressive way of thinking.  He says this story is “just an example of those who are in the…

  • Homeland, Bittersweet Homeland

    “Heimat, bittersuesse Heimat” (or “Homeland, Bittersweet Homeland”) is an all-black satirical theatre production that showcases real-life experiences of minorities living in a prejudiced but politically-correct society. The sketches also address cultural identity and its fluidity when the actors move smoothly from a German waltz to an African freestyle dance. While the theater group is based in…

  • Islam Critic Necla Kelek: An Enthusiastic Defender of Freedom

    The subject of this article is Necla Kelek, a controversial Turkish-German writer who grew up “in a completely Turkish world” under patriarchal authority, where she “experienced what it was not to be free.” Kelek is known for her criticism of the oppressive aspects of Islam as well as her praise of Western society and its…

  • Germany’s New Freedom Laws for Journalists

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  • Muhabbet, R’nBesk Singer

    Link to Website Here “R’nBesk” music, a new mix of arabesk music, R’nB and hip hop was first created and brought to the world of German-Turkish music by singer Muhabbet. His music video, found by clicking on his photo on the website linked above is titled “Ich Will Nicht Gehen” (I don’t want to go”).…

  • Step Into German

    Link to Website Here This website is designed as a sort of multicultural exchange for English speakers for Germany and the cultural and social representations of music. The sight touts its intentions with “Explore music made in Germany!” and “Find out why German rocks!” on the front page. A map with cities in Germany is…

  • Fake Cheese and Schnapps: Training the Unemployed

    Full Story Here The city of Hamburg is now training long-term unemployed residents how to work in a super-market environment training for a job in the real world. As found in Der Spiegel, April 2, 2010, the article does not specify what the citizenship status is of the individuals taking part in the program, nor…

  • culturebase.net

    culturebase.net is a great resource to quickly find reliable information on international artists such as Sevgi Emine Ozdamar or Ersa Ersen. The artist profiles available on this website include their biographies, themes, genres, and lists their body of work. If the artist works with visual media, then samples of their work may be posted to…

  • Kebab-Cutting Robot Stars In Germany’s First Döner Trade Fair

    This article illustrates the growing popularity of turkish food and culture in Germany, detailing the increased appreciation for kebabs by Germans. It is a light-hearted example of some of the perks of being a multikulti society, and I think a good balance compared to the heavier themes more prevalent in news on immigrants/immigration.

  • It Makes No Sense to Ban the Burqa

    This article is about the purported banning of the burqua and niqab in Belgium, following France’s lead in proposing legislation that would outlaw the wearing of these religious garments in the public sphere. The author of this article does raise a good point in that the banning of these articles is treating a symptom rather…