Why are Indians packing up their bags and leaving their country and why are they opting for Germany? This book attempts to answer these questions through a multi-layered examination of motives and methodology.
Amrita Datta started researching Indian immigrants in Germany more than a decade ago. As she noticed the expansion and visibility of the Indian immigrant community, she decided to investigate it further. The attraction of Germany is easy to explain, she says, but the reasons why Indians are emigrating are “complicated, multiple and intricate”.
Amrita Datta,
Stories of the Indian Immigrant Communities in Germany:Why Move?
Published by Palgrave Macmillan (2023)
With a background in sociology, the author of this academic monograph stresses that “locating” her project and methodology are important. She uses various tools at her disposal – reflexivity, autoethnography and qualitative analysis to name a few. As an Indian immigrant, she sees herself as a “cultural insider” and leverages her role as a researcher to a methodological tool.
In recent years, Germany has become one of the most popular destinations in the European Union for white-collars immigrants. This is mostly attributed to the lure of the EU Blue Card for skilled workers. It offers a promising future with work permits and visas to applicants and their families. It is no surprise then that the highest number of Blue Card workers in Germany are Indians.
Germany has been attracting students from India with its high quality education and nominal fees compared to countries like the USA and UK. This trend comes against the backdrop of a convergence of interests: high unemployment in India and the huge shortage of skilled workers in Germany.
Some of the most interesting insights in the book are on what motivates Indians to leave their homeland. Varying perspectives are shared in creatively titled chapters. Datta quotes extensively from interviews which form the basis of her qualitative data. At first glance, the evidence may sound anecdotal. But the conversations vividly capture the voice of the emigrants/migrants and give them ownership of their stories.
Datta says the political situation in India, characterised by an “authoritarian government”, is one of the “significant reasons for emigration”. This is reflected in her research and is a recurring theme in the book.
Interviewees tell her they want to escape political tension, polarisation and violence in the country. The lack of room for dissent and freedom of expression are also given as reasons.
Datta believes this “exit trend since 2015 is distinct, with immigration across status groups, gender and religion”. She points out that despite India being a democracy, more than 7,000 Indians applied for “protection” in Germany in recent years. Since getting political refuge is almost impossible, they apply as skilled workers or students. Datta calls this “shadow migration” to escape “political targeting” which masks the true motivation behind why these people are leaving.
The role of the COVID-19 pandemic in influencing people’S decision to leave India has also been highlighted. Research for this book started in the midst of the pandemic. Many people were deeply impacted by the pandemic and several of those questioned said access to good healthcare was a big incentive to emigrate. Some specifically applied to go to Germany which was viewed as handling its COVID crisis relatively well. Datta concludes the pandemic was a catalyst for fueling new migration.
Other reasons mentioned for emigration include the increase of anti-minority sentiment, gender-based violence, which prompted women/non-male actors, minorities to seek a future overseas and in Germany. For some it is also a “lifestyle” choice to have access to freedom of mobility, safety, better opportunities (creative and economic) and resources. The book presents a nuanced picture of motivations which go beyond stereotypes. We get a sense that not only are more people emigrating but also the reasons for their leaving are changing.
The latter half of the book looks at the immigrant experience in Germany and the future ahead. The challenges and contradictions posed during the process of “homing” are explored in how immigrants are constantly negotiating uncertainties as they oscillate between two worlds. For Germany, the challenge is how to retain these highly skilled workers. Datta recommends policy changes, which could incentivise them to stay, and at the same time increase the inflow of more skilled workers and students from India. She also suggests that Germany should reconsider its “linguistic nationalism” and introduce English as the second official language.
The book steers clear of the wider debate over immigration which has polarised public opinion in much of Europe. But Datta does raise a concern weighing on immigration, which she describes as the elephant in the room – racism.
Datta cautions “… structural racism in German everyday lives goes deeper than the country with a Nazi past would like us to believe”. She calls for effective measures to raise awareness on the issue. This problem has wider societal and political implications for Germany which is seeing the steady rise of the anti-immigrant far right Alternative for Germany (AFD) party.
The book certainly is an interesting addition to literature on migration discourse. For a non-specialist audience, and for those not familiar with all the terminology and conceptual frameworks, the book may appear somewhat dense. But they will find enough in it to make for an absorbing and informative read on human stories of what compels people to uproot themselves and take a plunge into the unknown. It captures the vulnerability of migrants in an uncertain world with gentle empathy.
Dr Amrita Cheema is media consultant and moderator.
