Forced Migration: A Syrian Exodus to Germany

The Syrian Civil War has killed over 500,000 people and displaced over 12 million since it began in 2011. The conflict has resulted in forced migration on a massive scale. Syrian people have been displaced within Syria, to the surrounding Arab states and to Europe. This has led to an immigration crisis in some parts of the European Union. Germany has become a primary destination for these refugees, but nationalist, xenophobic forces have started pushing back against what is perceived to be an invasion of foreigners into their land and their borders. This project examines the sentiments of German citizens in the time before the crisis reached its peak in 2015, and how those sentiments have changed since then. I seek to answer the question of how Syrian refugees are integrating within the borders of Germany by analyzing the actions and reactions of those involved when two distinguishable cultures meet. By considering their expressions, such as the artwork created by Syrian artist Manaf Halbouni and the policy agendas set by a German political party, this project reveals the complex intercultural relationship between Syrian refugees and Germans, people who have more in common than it may initially appear