CEU Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2022
| Author | Schultheis, Emily |
|---|---|
| Title | Whose Home, Who Belongs? The Concept of Heimat in German Political Discourse Since 2015 |
| Summary | The German word Heimat has no direct English equivalent: Its closest translations are “home,” “homeland” or “hometown,” depending on the context. But it also comes with strong undertones of belonging, rootedness, and emotional connection—and has been instrumentalized by far-right political actors and movements since the National Socialists to denote who belongs and who doesn’t. The term has taken on special significance at various points throughout German history; since the arrival of more than a million refugees into Germany in 2015 and 2016, it is again the subject of fierce debate. This thesis explores the concept of Heimat in German political and social discourse since 2015, using triangulation to examine the topic from both the top-down and bottom-up perspective. First, it analyzes two speeches delivered in German Bundestag in 2018 and 2019, respectively, to establish some discursive uses of Heimat. Then, via four focus groups conducted in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, it analyzes the way regular Germans and German residents construct and view the term. Ultimately, the thesis demonstrates that Heimat has become a shorthand for political actors to describe their visions for the future of the country; it is also a concept with deep meaning for individuals, the significance of which often doesn’t line up with the way it is used by politicians. Examining the uses and construction of Heimat in politics and society provides a useful window into more universal issues related to populist far-right parties and their impact on political discourse. |
| Supervisor | Wodak, Ruth; Varadi, Luca |
| Department | Nationalism Studies MA |
| Full text | https://www.etd.ceu.edu/2022/schultheis_emily.pdf |
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