The Carriers of Diversity within the Police Forces: A “Weberian” Approach to Diversity in Germany

Abstract

Cultural diversity has been one the most pressing challenges to present-day Germany. Issues of diversity and, its corollary from the perspectiveof the recipient society, the practice of toleration—as opposedto the personal attitude of tolerance—are being paradigmaticallydebated around the fate of Muslims. Although not new, Muslimspresence and public claims, such as the claim for legal recognition ofIslam and religious instruction in public schools, have undoubtedlyraised the issue of diversity anew. Some recent events, such as the“Ludin case,” a German teacher of Afghan descent who fought thefederal state of Baden-Wurttemberg to wear a hijab in class, is a tellingexample (see Beverly Weber’s article examining the case in this issueof German Politics and Society). Similarly to the debate raging overheadscarves in France, this case seems to point to the “Muslim” as animportant figure of the stranger, understood as symbol of groupmediation, of the group’s inner and outer boundaries.1 But, unlike theheadscarf affair in France, where pupils are at the center stage of thedebate, the case of teachers in Germany bears witness to a differenttype of stranger as outlined by Simmel in terms of spatial and symbolicposition within the group. Indeed, he/she is a stranger “fromwithin.”2 As such, Muslim growing and enduring presence in Germanyshowcases practical problems encountered with the “managementof diversity” within some state institutions. Looking at the assessment of these dilemmas not only points to conflicting normativemodels of social organization, but also puts in the hot seat thosewho, to paraphrase Dubet, carry out le travail sur autrui (“work on theother”), professionals activities, which aim at explicitly transformingthe “stranger.”

Organisierte (In-)Differenz. Zur Bedeutung von Diversität und Repräsentation für die Polizei

“…30 Behr (2016), S. 3. 22 Der Begriff "Diversitätsträger" (carriers of diversity) geht auf Thériault (2004) zurück. In Anschluss an Max Weber formuliert sie, dass die Träger ethnisch-kultureller Merkmale eine vermittelnde Aufgabe in beide Richtungen haben, also in die Organisation und in die Gesellschaft.…”

“…44 Behr (2010), S. 152. 45 Franzke (1999); Thériault (2004); Blom (2005); Sigel (2009); Majewski (2011); Regge (2013); Molapisi und Behr (2020). bei der Polizei, wurde die Befürchtung genannt "to work in a racist environment, having to face prejudice from both colleagues and the general public on a daily basis" 46 .…”

Max Weber, le sociologue, et le policier : appréhender l’individu1

“…Dans le cas de l'étude de la police, une attitude accusatrice est d'autant plus vraisemblable que l'institution agace, comme je l'ai déjà souligné, les idéaux des démo-craties libérales. Même si l'observateur s'avisait de juger les arguments invoqués par les policiers comme étant bienveillants (comme, dans le cas de mes « porteurs de la diversité », de concertations avec des groupes minoritaires, de séances d'information ou de formations interculturelles, d'embauches de recrues issues de l'immigration [Thériault, 2004[Thériault, , 2008), on montrerait alors du doigt la naïveté des acteurs dominants -et celle du sociologue -dans leur aveuglement au fait que malgré leur bonne volonté, ils n'en demeurent pas moins en position de domination face aux minorités. Dans les deux cas (la mauvaise volonté et la naïveté), les résultats semblent être connus d'avance.…”

Inquiring into Diversity: The Case of Berlin Police Inspector Bobkowski

“…3 I started by investigating the motives of those who might contribute through their work to bringing about change within the police forces. This first led me to those in charge of initiatives to recruit and deal with police officers from post-migration backgrounds, 4 an area which has attracted scholarly attention. 5 I then explored other areas where the problem of diversity was being addressed: seminars for police officials, trade union initiatives, and the police chaplaincy.…”