Leitkultur

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Etymology

From leiten +‎ Kultur. Coined by Syrian-German social and political scientist and university lecturer Bassam Tibi in 1996. From c. 2000 the word has acquired a more specific sense in the wider political discourse, especially as a Kampfbegriff.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key):
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: Leit‧kul‧tur
  • Rhymes: -uːɐ̯

Noun

Leitkultur f (genitive Leitkultur, plural Leitkulturen)

  1. (political science) The values of modern Western culture, including democracy, secularism, the Enlightenment, human rights, and civil society.
  2. The dominant culture of a country, especially in political discourse about immigration and integration.
    • 2000 October 18, Reinhold Michels, quoting Friedrich Merz, “Zuwanderer sollen sich deutscher Kultur anpassen”, in Rheinische Post:
      Zur maßgeblichen Leitkultur zählt [Friedrich] Merz beispielsweise die Überzeugung, dass auch die Zuwanderer einen eigenen Integrationsbeitrag leisten müssten; dass sie sich dabei anpassen müssten an die in diesem Land gewachsenen kulturellen Grund-Vorstellungen.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 2006, “Exportschlager Leitkultur”, in Die richtige Einstellung, performed by Egotronic:
      Mit der Mitte in die Zukunft heißt Tradition pur! / Der Exportschlager aus Deutschland heißt für immer Leitkultur
      With the middle into the future, tradition is called pure! / The export hit from Germany will always be called 'Leitkultur'
    • 2017 October 20, Christiane Kühl, “Estland: Willkommen in E-Land”, in Die Zeit, Hamburg, →ISSN:
      In ganz Europa erstarkt der Nationalismus. Grenzen werden geschlossen, Leitkulturen beschworen, Das-Boot-ist-voll-Rhetorik dominiert.
      In all of Europe nationalism is getting stronger. Borders are being closed, dominant cultures invoked, the-boat-is-full-rhetoric dominates.
    • 2024 January 11, Daniel Bax, “Rechte profitieren von Enthüllungen”, in Die Tageszeitung: taz, →ISSN:
      Martin Sellner erklärt zu den Enthüllungen denn auch, sein Plan sei gar nicht geheim, sondern werde „im patriotischen Lager breit und öffentlich diskutiert“ und er umfasse „nicht nur Abschiebungen, sondern auch Leitkultur und Assimilationsdruck“.
      So in response to the revelations Martin Sellner also declares that the plan isn't secret at all, but that it's “widely and openly discussed in the patriotic camp”, and that it comprises “not only deportations, but also dominant culture and assimilation pressure”.

Declension

Further reading