Regarding the political participation and representation of citizens with migration background in German parliaments there are few studies about members of local parliaments or of individual politicians and their careers. To this day there is no qualitative empirical study concerning the career paths of politicians with migration background in the German „Landtage“ or their positions on substantial representation. Moreover, existing research does not focus on gender differences in the group. My dissertation aims to fill this gap in research. 22 of 43 identifiable members of state parliaments with migration background, as defined by the Federal Statistical Office of Germany (Statistisches Bundesamt Deutschland) were interviewed between June 2010 and January 2011. They were asked about the “way” to their seat in parliament, their policy preferences, their concepts of representation and their experiences in party and parliament. The data was subsequently analyzed with the help of Qualitative Content Analysis (Qualitative Inhaltsanalyse) which combines quantitative and qualitative analytical methods. Center of the analysis are the following questions: 1) Are the career paths of politicians with migration background characteristically different from typical career paths in politics? If so, in what way? 2) Do politicians with migration background back the concept of and/or practice substantial representation? 3) Are there differences between male and female politicians with migration background in those two aspects? Theoretical basis of the study are feminist concepts of political participation and representation of women and the concept of intersectionality. The author aims to show how they are transferable to the situation of politicians with migration background. In this paper the author will present the theoretical framework of the project and some results of the analysis.
