Identity formation, language and migration dynamics
Minorities in the MENA region and the German diaspora
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Beschreibung
The volume examines migration from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to the German diaspora, offering a multifaceted perspective that combines historical and contemporary insights. It moves beyond viewing migration as a momentary event, instead situating it within a broader narrative that considers the impact of origin countries. By studying communities such as Georgians, Jews, Aramaic speakers, Kurds, Afghans and Berbers, the book explores how linguistic, social, and cultural factors shape their experiences both in their homelands and as migrants in Germany.
A key focus is the interplay between spoken vernaculars (such as Judeo-Spanish, Kurmanji Kurdish, Pashto and Tarifit Berber) and prestigious written languages (such as Hebrew, Syriac, Arabic, and Persian). It delves into how language choices, including scripts and writing systems, reflect deeper identity struggles within communities and across borders. In offering or restricting legal, pedagogical and communicative conditions for language acquisition, intercultural exchange and identity formation, Germany, like other European host societies, contributes significantly to these developments.
The book also shifts the lens of migration studies to explore not just the challenges in host countries but also the conditions in the migrants’ places of origin, from linguistic diversity to social stratification and historical conflicts. It offers unique insights into how these factors shape the identities of minority groups and influence their lives as migrants.
This book is a resource for anyone interested in the complex intersections of migration, identity, language, and culture. It sheds light on the experiences of often marginalised communities, offering valuable perspectives for scholars, policymakers, and anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the realities of migration and minority life.
Erhältlich bei:
Books on Demand GmbH,
In de Tarpen 42,
22848 Norderstedt
Tel.: +49 40 - 53 43 35-0
Fax: +49 40 - 53 43 35-84
E-Mail buchhandel@bod.de
Web: www.bod.de
Available via
Books on Demand GmbH,
In de Tarpen 42,
22848 Norderstedt
Tel.: +49 40 - 53 43 35-0
Fax: +49 40 - 53 43 35-84
E-Mail buchhandel@bod.de
Web: www.bod.de
Autor*in
Saloumeh Gholami
Professor Saloumeh Gholami is a linguist and currently holds the position of British Academy Global Professor in the field of Zoroastrian Studies at the Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies, University of Cambridge. In this capacity, she leads the project Persisting Through Change: A Study of Oral Literature and Cultural Interaction in the Zoroastrian Community.
She earned her PhD in Iranian Studies from the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Germany, with a dissertation entitled Selected Features of Bactrian Grammar. Her academic trajectory continued with a Habilitation in Comparative Linguistics from the Goethe University Frankfurt in 2022.
From 2020 to 2024, she served as Professor of Minority Languages in the Middle East at the University of Frankfurt. During this period, she also acted as Principal Investigator and member of the directorate for the research cluster Minority Studies: Language and Identity, funded by the Hessian Ministry for Science and the Arts.
In 2023, she was awarded the Oxford School of Rare Jewish Languages Visiting Fellowship at the University of Oxford.
Professor Gholami has gained international recognition for her pioneering contributions to the safeguarding of endangered languages and the promotion of linguistic diversity, particularly among minority communities. Her innovative research combines philological analysis with fieldwork, illuminating not only the linguistic structures but also the broader social and historical dynamics that shape interactions between minority groups and the dominant culture in Iran.