by PeWi
Thu Jun 25th, 2009 at 06:18:27 AM EST
This has been brought up in the Salon, but I thought it was worth some further presentation, as the conclusion were presented rather skewed in the source provided. Also there was a rather heated discussion I gather on Burqa and what frenchness means etc.

From the diaries - Nomad
Germany Has 1 Million More Muslims than Previously Thought (all quotes from this article)
Under the headline CHALLENGING STEREOTYPES, the article describes a study - commissioned by the Interior ministry - that states that Muslims in Germany are much more integrated than previously thought:
One of the study's most surprising findings is that Germany is home to many more Muslims than was previously believed. The researchers concluded that between 3.8 million and 4.3 million Muslims live in the country, making up around 5 percent of the total population of 82 million.
picture sueddeutsche
Regarding the issue of citizenship, the study revealed that around 45 percent of Muslims living in Germany have a German passport.
Contrary to popular stereotypes, 70 percent of female Muslims do not wear a headscarf, with second generation immigrants less likely to wear a headscarf than their mothers.
(Bild: FR-Infografik)
The study also found that the majority of Muslims consider themselves religious. Around a third described themselves as "very religious" and a half said they were "somewhat religious." However only about a third of respondents regularly attended a mosque, although 76 percent said they wanted Islamic religious education classes in schools.
Also, only half of those that women that called themselves very religious are wearing the headscarf.
And Muslim girls, who are commonly imagined to be closeted away by their families, are much more involved in school activities than generally believed: Some 90 percent of female Muslim students take part in school trips while 93 percent take part in swimming lessons, another hot-button issue in Germany.
The interesting thing for me is this.
This is the first study of its kind in Gemany.
The facts contradict common missconceptions and are actually more positive than righwing scarmonges want to make out
only 25% of Muslims in Germany feel they are fully represented through the faith organisations "ohne Einschränkungen" (without limitations), but more than 50% are a member of a German Verein (association - but not really translatable - its is a term like Gemütlichkeit, or Heimat in its German-ness).
So - more everyday integration - less diversity.
And the reason that more are in a lower social class or unemployed? Nothing to do with the religion, and more with the social surrounding of the upbringing. Young second or third generation Muslim women are quickly catching up with their Non-Muslim with regard to success in school etc.
More links (all in German):
Mehr Muslime in Deutschland als bekannt Die Zeit
Schäuble findet eine Million Muslime Taz
Gläubig und integriert Sueddeutsche Zeitung
Das Ende des gemeinen Feld-, Wald- und Wiesen-Muslims Der Spiegel
Viel mehr Muslime als gedacht Faz
The actual study will be published on Thursday.