Social Sciences Essay: Is There A Clash Between Syrian Identity And German Identity Is Adaptation Possible?

Is There A Clash Between Syrian Identity And German Identity Is Adaptation Possible?
Name
Course
Due Date
Is There A Clash Between Syrian Identity And German Identity Is Adaptation Possible?
Introduction
It has been ten years since war broke out in Syria. So far, more than 400,000 Syrians have died, according to the Human Rights Watch (2017). Millions of people have also been displaced in the country, and a significant number has been forced to flee the country. But how did the war start? In 2011, the Arab Spring offered a flicker of hope for many Arab countries. The success of the uprisings in Egypt and Tunisia motivated others to fight for change within their borders. Syria is one of the countries where the citizens sought a change in leadership and political ideals. So, in March of 2011, peaceful protests started in the country. These protests were partly because of the detention of 15 boys who were found writing graffiti showing support for the Arab Spring. Instead of negotiating or finding peaceful ways to negotiate with the protesters, Bashar al-Assad’s government responded by killing hundreds and imprisoning others. In July of the same year, the Free Syrian Army emerged, which was mainly composed of defectors from the Syrian Army. This rebel group started to fight the government with the aim of overthrowing Assad. However, Assad refused to back down, and there began a war that continues to take lives even as the world has been fighting COVID-19.
Over the years, the Syrian War has attracted a lot of international attention and involvement. For example, Russia has been offering military aid to Assad’s regime with claims of fighting the Islamic State. Regionally, Iraq and Lebanon have supported Assad’s regime while Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey have supported the anti-government rebels. The U.S. has also been involved in the war but in support of the rebels as well, especially the Kurdish group. Israel is also another country that has been carrying out airstrikes in Syria as well. For the most part, Syria has become a global stage of the war. Many of the warring factions seem to forget the casualties and the displaced families whose lives are forever disrupted. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (2018: 14), Syrian refugees were as many as 6.7 million. The figure below shows the countries that have offered fleeing Syrians refuge within their borders. In Germany, the German Chancellor Angela Merkel opened the doors for a significant portion of the Syrian refugees with Wir Schaffen Das’s words or We will make it. After saying these words, Germany went ahead to opened its doors for asylum seekers. Critics came out lashing at Merkel’s decision, and she almost lost her position because of the same. Her statement also divided Europe because her stance was different from that of other countries in the EU. However, even though her statement offered a lot of hope for the refugees, their stay in Germany has had its fair share of problems. The Refugees have had to deal with the language barrier, which limits their access to some of the resources available to them. Some have had to face racism that is directed towards them, and others are still trying their best to secure employment to help support and feed their families. Below is an elucidation of these challenges and how they have impacted the lives of refugees in Germany.
Challenges Syrians Face in Germany
Language
Upon arriving in Germany, a majority of the Syrian refugees experienced numerous challenges but none as big or great as language barrier. Green (2017: 486) writes that after arriving in Germany, only 1% of the Syrian refugees had any knowledge of the German language. What followed were challenges in even managing the asylum process. Aside from this challenge, Syrian refugees also experienced problems in gaining access to quality healthcare. Green writes that in refugee populations worldwide, “language and translation issues are frequently cited as barriers to quality health care for both physical and mental health problems” Green (2017: 486). The same was experienced in Germany, and many refugees had difficulties accessing healthcare. Simple instructions like understanding prescriptions and directions from pharmacists and nurses made the process all the more difficult for those who could access healthcare services. Aside from the above, Green writes on the limited interaction the refugees had with the locals because of being isolated. As a result, many of them found it difficult to learn the language, follow directions, and access certain amenities.
Racism
Syrian refugees have been constantly reminded that they do not belong in Germany since their arrival. The PEGIDA-movement or the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamisation of the Occident and the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have been at the forefront of fighting the refugees (Georgi 2019: 96). These two movements have indicated their disdain against refugees, with some of their members openly showcasing their disgust towards Syrian refugees. Refugees have been subjected to attacks and demonstrations that have continually helped to spread hate against them. Narratives against individuals belonging to the Islamic religion have been coined further helping to exacerbate the situation. Sial, Zafar, and Arafat (2019: 169) write about the politically incorrect news stories often propagated by propagandists whose aim is to drive a negative narrative against the Islamic religion. Propagandists have been propagating white supremacist views, which further drive a wedge between the German ‘natives’ and the immigrants. Some of the propagandists go as far as insinuating that Germany is facing a Muslim invasion. The sentiment that Germany has been facing a ‘Muslim invasion’ is but a narrative that was coined to help propagate racist remarks and views against refugees. According to Georgi (2019: 96), such sentiments contributed to the more than a thousand attacks on refugee homes that were reported in 2015. With the far-right gaining support in Germany, the future seems bleak for refugees.
Lack of Jobs
The integration process of refugees takes time, and this means for some time, many refugees are not able to find jobs in Germany. As already indicated, a majority of the Syrian refugees suffered mainly because of the language barrier they experienced. Without an understanding of the German language, the integration process took longer than many anticipated. Consequently, many of the refugees had to either find menial jobs to do or wait until the integration process was completed. Many refugees suffered as a result since they could not afford basic needs. However, as the integration process has continued, more people have been able to find jobs, and Saal and Volkert (2019: 4...