Consultation Structures in German Immigrant Integration Politics: The National Integration Summit and the German Islam Conference

Abstract

The article examines the interaction patterns between the national government and immigrant groups in Germany. The German government has established two kinds of consultation procedures: one for issues of immigrant integration in a more general sense and a separate state–Islam dialogue. It is shown here that by means of these bodies governmental actors sought to gain regular access to immigrant minorities and – at the same time – established opportunity structures through which they could organise. The specific shape and characteristics of the consultation structures and process are found to be a result of the specific historical contexts and problem constellations, established patterns of state–society relations, and the characteristics of the political system.