Deutsches Haus at NYU and the Max Weber Chair in European & German Studies at NYU's Center for European and Mediterranean Studies presents “Local Elections and Migrant Political Participation in Illiberal times: A conversation between Berlin and New York,” and a panel discussion among Nihad El-Kayed (University of Münster, Germany), John Mollenkopf (Graduate Center CUNY), Manuela Boatcă (Theodor Heuss Professor at The New School for Social Research and University of Freiburg, Germany) and René Kreichauf (Harvard University and Free University Brussels). The panel will be chaired by Talja Blokland (NYU).

How do migrants in Berlin and New York deal with democratic backsliding in relatively liberal cities in increasingly racist national political discourses? How do “ethnicity” and “togetherness” feature in their voting behavior and other forms of political participation? Only days after the elections in Berlin and other states in Germany on September 20th, this event brings together specialists on migration, voting and other forms of political participation. We will look back at the elections, discuss the role of 'the migrant vote' in comparative perspective between New York City and Berlin, and reflect on the structural and institutional conditions of political organizing in these cities.

Date and Time: September 22, 2026 from 6 – 7:30 PM

Location: Deutsches Haus at NYU, 42 Washington Mews, New York, NY 10003

More Information: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/local-elections-and-migrant-political-participation-in-illiberal-times-tickets-1998503632162?aff=oddtdtcreator