Why is Germany's anti-immigration AfD surging in popularity? And why does immigration seem to work better in America than in Europe? Harris, a Bosnian refugee turned American citizen who now lives and works in Germany, joins us to explore the economic, cultural, and political tensions fueling Europe's immigration backlash.
We discuss Germany's sprawling welfare state, bureaucratic obstacles to integration, immigrant crime statistics, the challenges of assimilating refugees, and the difference between civic and ethnic nationalism.
Along the way, we examine whether the AfD's rise reflects legitimate grievances, xenophobia, economic stagnation, or a growing sense that Germany's political establishment has lost control.
Discord Server: https://discord.gg/D2uBGknhe
NOTE: This episode has been edited for purposes of brevity and flow. On occassions when I do this, I make the unedited vrsion available as well. The original can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HP02k2rFmgs1neximy-jeF6cqa30_x4l/view?usp=sharing