The Problem of Identity and Transculturalism in the Works of Seyran Ates

Abstract

With its extensive experience in public debate about Leitkultur and multiculturalism, Germany still faces the need for a unifying identification model that would suit both the Germans and the immigrant community. This article considers the socio-political views of Seyran Ates, a female imam and the founder of the Liberal Mosque in Berlin, on cultural identity, Leitkultur, and integration in Europe. The author used the biographical approach and the method of text analysis of monographs, articles, and interviews with S. Ates. The analysis revealed a hierarchical two-component identity structure with a priority of European Leitkultur. Despite the declarative commitment to the transcultural approach, S. Ates is in fact inclined towards a simple mix of cultures. The process of convergence between migrants and the host society, which she does not want to describe in terms of integration, does not receive any other conceptual framework and remains theoretically unclear. One can only guess about its components from her speculations about transcultural identity. However, a simple coexistence in different cultural forms does not reveal the process of transformation at the subject level, but leaves a feeling of cultural chaos.