University:
University of Wyoming
Course:
POLS4215 | European Union
Academic year:

2023
Views:

223

Pages:

1
Author:

Allison B.

Allison Brown 4215: European Union Dr. Anderson April 13, 2021 Reading Paper #15: “Angela Merkel’s Leadership in the Refugee Crisis” Author: Joyce Marie Mushaben -- Mushaben is currently a professor/researcher of Comparative Politics and Gender Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her research covers: new social movements, youth protests, German unification and identities, gender, ethnicity and welfare issues, EU migration, and integration studies. Published: In the University of California Press’s Current History magazine, a well-respected and established foreign policy publication. Date: This entry was published in March 2017. The referendum to leave the EU was carried out the previous year on June 23, 2016, and clearly had an impact on the contents of the article. Leading up to the article’s publication, Donald Tusk was re-elected as President of the European Council (despite opposition from his home nation of Poland) and in France, and Emmanuel Macron won the presidential election over rival Marine Le Pen. Additionally, terrorist attacks in the UK and elsewhere in Europe stoked the fear of refugee populations and the increasing flux of migrants. Thesis: Merkel’s attitude and leadership during the European refugee crisis of 2015 not only aided the populations successfully but also worked to integrate them in a way that would benefit both their lives and Germany. Gist: Angela Merkel not only saw Germany through one of Europe’s most drastic refugee crises, but triumphed through the period with steadfast leadership, acknowledging the attitudes of Germans, and working in innovative ways to not only assist refugee populations but utilize the opportunity to better Germany. Telling Examples: 1) Welcoming response, the author formally acknowledges what we have alluded to in our course, Europe’s collective sentiment to aid and accept refugees, a “Nazi Albatross”. Mushaben acknowledges this as well as her fundamental change in Germany’s role in Europe, “What Merkel’s critics underestimate is the extent to which her proactive policies of the past decade encouraging integration and “intercultural opening” have produced an even bigger paradigm shift in the way Germans feel about themselves.” (Mushaben 100) 2) German interaction with refugees, the article examines how Merkel’s attitudes and policies with the flux in refugee populations, “Merkel’s decision to stand her ground on open borders inspired an outpouring of citizen engagement with refugees.” (Mushaben 98) 3) Ability to change policy and programs, during this refugee crisis, Merkel was able to understand some of her country’s potential shortcomings and work to productively overturn them without attempting to shield her political self, “Merkel stayed the course but was impelled by circum- stances to make adjustments. After three months of wrangling, the Bundestag passed a second Asylum Package in January 2016.” (Mushaben 98) Criticism: I enjoyed this article, it’s clear that the author’s research and academic history revolves around these issues as well as women in foreign policy, making for an interesting read that is still very much relevant today.