Nerd Alert = Post about Sociology

For those who might be at all interested I’m going to do a post about what I’ve been studying while I’m over here. If you don’t read it…I will not at all be offended. It’s mostly for my parents/similarly minded nerd friends.

PREFACE: Danish academia does not have the focus American academia does of being polite or “politically correct”. They tell it how it is and the situation with integration in Denmark is far from perfect. This post is not meant to be my opinion on the situation or paint the situation in any particular light. Merely to give a better picture of what it is I am studying to my friends and family so if you read this and find yourself bubbling over with anger at my interpretation of the information--keep it to yourself. Haters gonna hate…potatoes gonna potate…I don’t want to hear any negativity. J (I mean this in the nicest most polite and politically correct American way)

The first half of the semester my core course, titled “Cultural Diversity and Social Capital” focused on issues with Muslims and integration in Denmark and the second half on Turkey and issues with integration amongst the Kurds, Christian/Jewish minorities, and other IDPs (Internationally Displaced Peoples). This second section we have just started so I will do another post with more info on that once I get back from Istanbul next week J

Integration in Denmark--Background Info = post WWII reconstruction, Scandinavia saw a huge influx of Middle Eastern guest workers, meant to come rebuild some roads and go home, of course many of these guest workers ended up settling, emigrating to Denmark, Sweden, etc. and later bringing their families. So a culturally and ethnically homogenous country (and has been for 1000s of years) is now confronted with the reality they are now the home to thousands of Muslim immigrants. Their ability to integrate these minorities into Danish society has been a bit of a struggle. Basically Denmark upholds high values of equal opportunity and social services for all citizens as seen in their welfare state with free healthcare, education, etc. The Danish pay high high taxes (50-60%) in order to provide these social services and thus can be a little xenophobic (very understandably) when it comes to others coming into the country and benefiting from these services for which they pay half their income to provide. Danish culture is also of fundamental importance and the high focus placed on gender equality and secularization isn’t always compatible with conservative Islam.

This puts Denmark in a bind, if a country that preaches tolerance (which they are very much so of the minorities having lived in Denmark a long time, also providing extensive foreign aid, etc.) is tolerant of Islamic social practices such as arranged marriage, oppression of women (or liberation depending on how you view it) through wearing of the hijab and niqab etc., does that make Denmark intolerant by proxy?

That being said, the Danes have recently included some interesting topics in political discourse suggesting a desire exclude Muslims/religious minorities from the political scene. Discussing gender equality, a ban on male circumcision, and increasing protective laws making it harder to emigrate to Scandinavia. Even the far far right political party the Danish People’s Party (who have campaign videos that blatantly preach how Muslims are living off the welfare state, damaging to Danish society, and the country needs to put a stop to Muslim integration, etc) have banners saying “TOLERANCE” in big ‘ol letters on the platform that they are tolerant of all, and if Muslims are intolerant of ________ (women, equal job opportunities, drinking, fashion, whatever), then Denmark would be intolerant and this is something that cannot happen.

A very very interesting (at least to me) situation. Both sides have legitimate points. The Danes that they have a very successful secular welfare state and that inhabitants of their country should contribute to the community and common good as everyone else does. For the Danes it is not freedom OF but freedom FROM religion, they thrive in their secular sphere and do well in this religiously low state. But Danish Muslims are then forced to either a) abandon their culture assuming a Danish one or b) be ostracized from social circles for their incapability of being secular, “tolerant”, or effectively their inability to be Danish--and this is quite a bind.

Statistics show that integration is improving in Denmark. There is constant talk of ways in which the situation can be improved, government initiatives, cultural education of youth and parents on Islam, etc. I have interviewed many Danes (both ethnic Danes and Danish Muslims) on the subject and there is little xenophobia and prejudice among most Copenhageners (a lot of the Danish People’s Party resides in Jutland), and even less among my generation. The future is very hopeful and bright but fascinating especially effectively being an immigrant myself (I guess I am 6^th/7^th generation Slovenian/German American--I don’t even know for sure--Granmom Phyllis any input on this front?) and coming from a country of immigrants, not that the United States is necessarily a model for world integration, but we have been doing it a little longer (We’ll give ya that ‘murica!)

So this is what I am learning/thinking about eating/breathing while I have been here. I find the entire situation incredibly fascinating and I'm really excited to bring this information and ideas back to Rhodes in the spring!!


I hope this didn’t bore you to tears, I already know which of my family/friends will probably read this post so I hope y’all enjoy it!

NEXT WEEK (leaving in 4 days) = ISTANBUL. I can hardly wait!!

Oslo

This weekend I took the “booze cruise” to Oslo. So lovingly named as there isn’t any tax on international waters so they have a very well stocked duty free store. Unfortunately everything else on the boat costs an arm and a leg but my friend’s Ben, Kris, and I planned ahead and went to the grocery store and lived off peanut butter and jelly for the weekend and got to see Norway the cheap way.

While in Oslo we saw the Opera House, Cathedral, National Theater, National Gallery, Palace, City Hall, and the Nobel Peace Prize Center. The National Gallery was quite cool with a lot of retro art from the 60s-70s and also some really interesting sculptures. Probably my favorite was the Nobel Peace Prize center as right when we arrived it just so happened that the head of the Prize Committee was giving a press conference on the most recent Nobel recipient--the European Union. We got to sneak in the back and watch--it was pretty cool!! There were also some really cool exhibits of recent recipients including three women: two from Liberia (including the current president), one from Yemen who jointly received the prize for their efforts to end conflict in their respective countries.

We left Friday night had an overnight boat ride, spent the day Saturday in Oslo, and returned to Copenhagen on another overnight ride Sunday morning. It was a great way to see a city quick and fairly cheap. Not to mention the disco club on the boat had stellar people watching!

Enjoying the view from the top deck!

Oslo Cathedral

Yay Fall!! (although it felt pretty winter-like)

Nobel Peace Prize Press Conf. nbd...

Peace Prize Recipiants Room: real cool.

Each recipiant has their own small digital screen with a photo, the year they recieved the prize and their reason for recieving it.

Holla for (3 of) the ladies of the Nobel Peace Prize!! The most recent recipiants save President Obama and now the EU.

Oslo Harbor

Someone had a little too much booze cruise...hehehe.

Mom and Dad in the København

I was so lucky this past week to have my parents pay me a friendly visit! It was of course a ridiculous week having these two around but so much fun and I forgot how much I missed them. Highlights of their stay included:

-The usual tours of Copenhagen, showing them my place, school, etc.

-My uncle Craig was in town for a band gig and we got to spend an afternoon with him! Awesome!

-Day trips to Allerod (Friedriksborg castle) and Roskilde (Cathedral and Viking Museum) to see some sights!

-Dinner with my Danish mommy and brother!

-Various dinners/lunches with all my friends (obviously)

-Mom and Dad attended a panel put on by the sociology department on male circumcision (they are always asking what I’m learning about!)

-Tried to explain how to pronounce things in Danish 5 million times (no avail, especially with Phyllis) \

-Many a brunch

A wonderful time was had by all!! Here are some photos! Enjoy!!!

Dad and I at Frederiksborg Castle

more Frederiksborg

Twinsies!

View of the city (spire to the far left is three dragon tails intertwined to symbolize the Kalamar Union between Denmark, Sweden, and Norway..built by Christian the IV..no surprise there)

Replica Viking ship in Roskilde

yummmmm soup.

yummmmm brunch.

I read the paper JUST LIKE MY DADDY!

Square where we had our last brunch, the weather was amazing for them!

Berlin

 

There is no comparing the feel of Berlin. Very different from Prague but still with a bitter taste of the old days as it has been only a little over 20 years since the wall fell (anniversary coming up on Nov. 9^th!). But also very hip and up and coming. We had a great time! The first day we did all the historical sights and then the next day some of the more artsy places. All in all a great trip with some great travel mates I was very pleased with how everything turned out!

 

 

Brandenberg Gate

 

Reichstag

Memorial to the Politicians who Opposed Hitler

Each slate has the politician's name, his party affiliation, and the date and place of his death (most were concentration camps). These were Hitler's early victims

Memorial to the Jews of Europe

As you walk toward the cement blocks the ground gets lower and the blocks get higher until eventually they tower above you. Very cool comissioned and done by an American Jewish artist.

Topography of Terror: Where the Third Reich and SS office once stood, now rubble.

 

(Note: Hitler/Himmler's bunkers are under some random parking lot in Berlin, the government decided to give them no recognition or markers to deter any neo-Nazis from creating shrines, etc.)

Checkpoint Charlie: where one was checked to go from East to West Berlin at the time of the wall.

It just so happened that it was a holiday celebrating Germany's Reunification while we were in Berlin, yay festival!!

Communist Era Art

East Side Gallery, the largest section of the wall still intact (it took us about 15 min to walk along the whole thing) each piece with comissioned artwork, so cool!!

at the Hamburger Bahnof--Berlin's Modern Art Museum

And of course we couldn't forget to have curry-wurst!! Traditional German meal of bratwurst mixed with ketchup and curry! (We paired it with Sangria for the full effect...)

 

 

PRAHA

I. LOVE. PRAGUE.
 
I. LOVE. PRAGUE.

I. LOVE. PRAGUE.

Definitely my favorite trip/European city to date. It was amazing! The city itself is just beautiful, every time you turn a corner there’s another breath-taking church, tower, bridge, what have you. Absolutely gorgeous. Still developing from communist control until 1989 with the Velvet Revolution the Czech Republic has a very different feel to it than any other city I have been to. Very much a hopeful attitude amidst a somber remembrance of a time without freedom. I found it very inspirational.

Prague is also dirt cheap. What you pay for a morsel of food in Copenhagen will get you a 3-course meal in Prague and that is just what we did. Although the waiters were rather scummy (Rick Steves warned us about this) and for example would bring us bread to the table and we would later find it on our bill. But a small downside to an otherwise amazing experience, I wish I had had more than 2 days to see the whole city but as it was I think we did a fantastic job of cramming in the big sights as well as some off the beaten path places in our sightseeing.

St. Charles bridge at night time!

Palace Cathedral

Stain glass window in Cathedral re-done in the 1930s and designed by Alphonse Mucha, it details the chronology of Czech Catholicism. It is just beautiful.

just three gals lookin at a city

Lenin Wall

no words...greatest moment of my life doesn't quite cut it.

Museum of Check Communism

 

Shakespeare and Sons Bookstore

What you doin' in my picture boy? I don't know you!

(I was clearly not pleased when this guy jumped into our picture)

big clock tower thing in Old Town Square

Munich

Travel Break #1 began with Oktoberfest! Although we had to wake up at 7am to get into the beer garden and get a table, we had brews by 9:30 am and had a long but fun day! Most everybody is in good spirits and with all the lederhosen and beer maid outfits, Munich is way fun this time of year! Here are some photos!!

deliciousness

if it isn't some LEDERHOSEN!

this guy with the whistle was annoying as all get out...

finally got some brews!

Haufbrahaus Beer Garden

Oktoberfest is a great place to meet foreigners who will then follow you around for the rest of the day...meet Nicholai my Italian boyfriend.

 

 

If I had been in Munich for more than 36 hours I might have gotten some more pictures, seen more sights, really experienced Munich, etc. But as it was I was on a train to Prague at 7am the next day. However, Oktoberfest was a very fun, unique experience, not sure I'll ever get back so I'm glad I could do it on this trip!