Diplom (Philipps Univistaet Marburg), PhD (European University Institute)
Area of expertise
Modern European History, Germany History, Migration and Identity
Bio
Oliver Schmidtke is a Professor and UVic European Studies Scholar in the Departments of History and Political Science. Since 2012 he has been the director of the Centre for Global Studies and during the academic year 2016-17 he served as the acting Associate Vice President Research.
He received his PhD from the European University Institute in Florence, worked at the Humboldt University in Berlin in the late 1990s and spent a year as a research fellow at the Center for European Studies at Harvard University before coming to UVic in 1999. Over the past ten years, Oliver Schmidtke has been a fellow at the University of Bonn (2005), the European University Institute (as a Fernand Braudel Research Fellow, 2007), at the University of Hamburg (as a Marie Curie Research Fellow, 2011-12) and at the Hamburg Institute for Advanced Study (2021-22). In 2016 Oliver Schmidtke received the Faculty of Social Sciences Research Excellence Award.
His research interests are in the fields of comparative European politics and contemporary history, European integration, the political sociology of immigration and ethnic conflict and the role of identities and collective memory in modern societies.
Selected publications
Books (monographs & co-written)
Nohl, A., Schittenhelm, K., Schmidtke, O., and Weiss, A. Work in Transition.Cultural Capital and Highly Skilled Migrants’ Passages into the Labour Market. University of Toronto Press (in press), 2014.
Falge, C., Ruzza, C. and Schmidtke, O.Giving New Subjects a Voice. Political and Institutional Responses to Cultural Diversity in the Health Care System. Aldershot: Ashgate (240 pages), 2012.
Eder, K., Rauer, V., and Schmidtke, O. Die Einhegung des Anderen. Türkische, polnische und russlanddeutsche Einwanderer in Deutschland. Opladen: VS Verlag für Sozialwissenschaften (360 pages), 2004.
Eder, K., Giesen, G., Schmidtke, O. and Tambini, D. Collective Identities in Action. A Sociological Approach. London: Ashgate, March 2002 (220 pages), 2001.
Schmidtke, O. Politics of Identity. Ethnicity, Territory and the Political Opportunity Structure in Modern Italian Society. Sinzheim: Pro Universitate (364 pages), 1996.
Edited books
Tully, James, Keith Cherry, Fonna Forman, Jeanne Morefield, Joshua Nichols, Pablo Ouziel, David Owen, and Oliver Schmidtke. Democratic Multiplicity: Perceiving, Enacting, and Integrating Democratic Diversity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2022.
Carpenter, M.. Schmidtke, O., and M. Kelly (eds.). Borders and Migration: The Canadian Experience in Comparative Perspective. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press, 2022.
Salvatore, A., Schmidtke, O. and Trenz, H.J. (eds.). Rethinking the Public Sphere Through Transnationalizing Processes: Europe and Beyond. New York: Palgrave (Series in Political Sociology), 2013.
Nohl, A., Schittenhelm, K., Schmidtke, O., and Weiss, W. (eds.) (2011). Göcte kültürel sermaye; Istanbul: Kitapyayinevi in press; translation of revised book: Kulturelles Kapital and Migration), 2011
Nohl, A., Schittenhelm, K., Schmidtke, O., and Weiss, A. (eds.). Kulturelles Kapital und Migration (co-edited with A. Nohl, K. Schittenhelm and A. Weiss). Opladen: Verlag Sozialwissenschaft, 2009.
Schmidtke, O. and Ozcurumez, S. (eds.). Of States, Rights, and Social Closure: Governing Migration and Citizenship .New York: Palgrave/ MacMillan (308 pages), 2008.
Schmidtke, O. and Yekelchyk, S. (eds.). Europe’s Last Frontier. Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova between Russia and the European Union. New York: Palgrave/ MacMillan (252 pages), 2008.
Scharenberg, A. and Schmidtke, O. Das Ende der Politik? Globalisierung und der Strukturwandel des Politischen, Münster: Westfälisches Dampfboot (384 pages), 2003.
Schmidtke, O. The Third Way and the Quest for Social Justice. The Normative claims and policy initiatives of the New Left in Western Europe and North America at the end of the 20th century. Aldershot: Ashgate (254 pages), 2002.
Weiss, A. Koppetsch, C., Scharenberg, A. and Schmidtke, O. (eds.). Klasse und Klassifikation. Die symbolische Dimension sozialer Ungleichheit. Opladen: Westdeutscher Verlag (272 pages), 2001.
Reimagining Political Identity and Ideology in Europe: Memory Politics and the Resurgence of Nationalism and Right-Wing Populism; special issue of Social Sciences (Oliver Schmidtke), fall 2023: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/socsci/special_issues/A231NZBEKD.
Democracy and the Challenge of Populist Authoritarianism; special issue of the Hague Journal on the Rule of Law (Eszter Bonar, Oliver Schmidtke, and Jeremy Webber), Spring 2024.
Mat, F.; Chiodi, L.; Schmidtke, O. "Europeanization as Pragmatic Politics: Italy’s Civil Society Actors Operating in the Face of Right-Wing Populism", Social Sciences. 13, 205, 2024. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040205
Schmidtke, O., "Migration as a building bloc of middle-class nation-building? The growing rift between Germany’s centre-right and right-wing parties", Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 50:7, 1677-1695, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2024.2315350.
Bodnár, E., Webber, J., and O. Schmidtke, O. "Populism, Democracy, and the Rule of Law in Central and Eastern Europe" (Introduction to special issue). Hague Journal on the Rule of Law. in press, summer 2024.
2023
Webber, J., Schmidtke, O. and E Bodnár. Introduction: Democratic Constitutionalism in a Populist Age (Introduction to special issue). Social & Legal Studies, 2023 https://doi.org/10.1177/09646639231198649.
Schmidtke, O. The ‘Will of the People’: The Populist Challenge to Democracy in the Name of Popular Sovereignty. Social & Legal Studies, 32(6), 911-929; 2023, https://doi.org/10.1177/09646639231153124
Schmidtke, O. and B. Wassenberg. Mobilizing History: European Integration and its Legitimizing Narrative (Introduction to special issue). Journal of European Integration History, 2023 (1), 13-18; org/10.5771/0947-9511-2023-1-13
Schmidtke, O. Competing Historical Narratives: Memory Politics, Identity, and Democracy in Germany and Poland. Social Sciences, 2023; 12(7):391. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci12070391
Schmidtke, O., ‘Migration, Citizenship and Security’. In: Brunet-Jailly, E., Hurrelmann, A. and Verdun, A. (eds.). European Union Governance and Policy Making: A Canadian Perspective, Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2023 (pp. 155-174).
2022
Schmidtke, O. ‘Democracy and Community: Exploring a Contested Link in Light of the Populist Resurgence’. In: Tully et al. Democratic Multiplicity: Perceiving, Enacting, and Integrating Democratic Diversity. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2022, pp. 65-81.
Schmidtke, O. ‘Commodifying Migrants: Borders and Canada’s Temporary Foreign Workers’. In: Carpenter, M., Schmidtke, O., and M. Kelly (eds.). Borders and Migration: The Canadian Experience in Comparative Perspective. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press; 2022, pp. 43-65.
Carpenter, M.. Schmidtke, O., and M. Kelly. Introduction: Conceptualizing Borders and Migration. In: Carpenter, M.. Schmidtke, O., and M. Kelly (eds.). Borders and Migration: The Canadian Experience in Comparative Perspective. Ottawa: University of Ottawa Press; 2022, pp. 1-41.
Schmidtke, O. 'International Migration, Rights and the Retreat of Inclusive Citizenship Rights'. In: Mackert, J., Wolf, H. and B. Turner (eds.). The Condition of Democracy. New York: Routledge, 23-47, 2021.
Schmidtke, O. 'The Eyes and Ears of the Community: Engaging citizens and community advocacy'. In: Lauer, S. and Yan, M. (eds.). A place-based solution to urban disconnection: Neighbourhood Houses in Metro Vancouver. Vancouver: UBC Press, 2021, pp. 66-90.
2020
Schmidtke, O. Politicizing social inequality: Competing narratives from the Alternative for Germany and left-wing movement Stand Up. Frontier in Sociology. Special issue: A Decade After the Collapse: Financial Crises, Austerity, and Their Responses. 2020 (available at: DOI: 10.3389/fsoc.2020.00013).
Schmidtke, O. Legitimation durch wirtschaftliches Nutzenkalkül und dezentrale Verfahren der Entscheidungsfindung: Das kanadische Migrationsregime. In: Pioch and K. Toens (eds.). Innovation und Legitimation in der Migrationspolitik – Politikwissenschaft, politische Praxis und Soziale Arbeit im Dialog. Wiesbaden: Springer. 2020, pp 84-106.
Schmidtke, O. Trudeaus gebrochene Versprechen. Blaetter fuer Deutsche und Internationale Politik. 10, 2019: 19-23.
Schmidtke, O. „Citizenship in Action: Praktiken der Inklusion und Exklusion aus transatlantischer Perspektive“. In: Sarah J. Grünendahl, Andreas Kewes, Jasmin Mouissi, Emmanuel Ndahayo (Hrsg.). Staatsbürgerschaft im Spannungsfeld zwischen Inklusion und Exklusion. Reihe „Studien zur Migrations- und Integrationspolitik“ , VS Springer, 2018.
2018
Schmidtke, O. "The Civil Society Dynamic of Including and Empowering Refugees in Canada’s Urban Centres." Social Inclusion, Vol. 6, Issue 1, 2018, (DOI: 10.17645/si.v6i1.1306).
Schmidtke, O. "Welcoming Refugees in the Local Community: A Canadian Perspective." In: DISP- The Planning Review. (forthcoming in the fall 2018).
Schmidtke, O. "Governing Refugees in Canada’s Federal Systam". In: R. Pioch and K. Toens (eds.). Innovation und Legitimation in der Migrationspolitik – Politikwissenschaft, politische Praxis und Soziale Arbeit im Dialog. In press. 2018.
Schmidtke, O., "Justice, Freedom and Security". In: Brunet-Jailly, E., Hurrelmann, A. And Verdun, A. (eds.). European Union Governance and Policy Making: A Canadian Perspective, Toronto: University of Toronto Press 2018 (112-138).
Schmidtke, O. "Citizenship in Action: Praktiken der Inklusion und Exklusion aus transatlantischer Perspektive". In: Sarah J. Grünendahl, Andreas Kewes, Jasmin Mouissi, Emmanuel Ndahayo (Hrsg.). Staatsbürgerschaft im Spannungsfeld zwischen Inklusion und Exklusion. Reihe „Studien zur Migrations- und Integrationspolitik“, VS Springer, 2018.
Schmidtke, O. "Approaches to Cultural Diversity: A Comparison of North American and European Sociopolitical Paradigms". In: Bertelsmann Stiftung (ed.). Living Diversity – Shaping Society. The Opportunities and Challenges Posed by Cultural Difference in Germany. Bielefeld: Bertelsmann Foundation (115-130).
Schmidtke, O. "The 'Party for Immigrants'? Social Democrats’ Struggle with an Inconvenient Electoral Issue." German Politics. 25(3), 398-413 (June 2016; DOI:10.1080/09644008.2016.1182992).
Schmidtke, O. „Die Eiwanderungsgesellschaft Kanada: Jenseits des Multikulturalismus“. In: Friedrich Ebert Foundation. Handbuch zu Migration und Integration 2016 (available at: http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/id/12337.pdf)
Schmidtke, O. „Die Herausforderung kultureller Differenz für liberale Demokratien – eine praxisorientierte Annäherung“. In: U. Hunger, R. Pioch and S. Rother (eds). Migration und Demokratie. Wiesbaden: Springer VS Verlag, 2016: pp. 81-102.
2015
Schmidtke, O. "Contemporary Regionalism as a New Form of Civic Nationalism in Europe? A Critical Evaluation of the Scottish Referendum on Independence." Public Policy and Economic Development. 5 (9) 2015: pp. 7-27.
Falge, C. and Schmidtke, O. "Migration und Gesundheit: Deutschland, Kanada und Italien im Vergleich." Public Health Forum. 23, Issue 2, 2015: pp. 119–120 (DOI 10.1515/pubhef-2015-0043).
Schmidtke. O. Trudeau zum Zweiten. "Kanada vor dem Wandel." Blätter für Deutsche und Internationale Politik. No. 12, 2015: pp. 25-29.
Gunn, A. and Schmidtke, O. "The Pursuit of Independence in Catalonia and Scotland: Towards a New Form of Civic Nationalism in Europe?" Review of European and Russian Affairs 9(1), 2015.
Schmidtke, O. "Between Populist Rhetoric and Pragmatic Policy-Making: The Normalization of Migration as an Electoral Issue in German Politics." Acta Politica 50 2015: pp. 379-398.
2014
Schmidtke, O. and A. Zaslove. "Why Regions Matter in Immigrant Integration Policies: North-Rhine Westphalia and Emilia-Romagna in Comparative Perspective" Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. 2 (1): 2014: 271-293.
Schmidtke, O. "Managing migration and diversity in Canada and Germany: Beyond national models." Comparative Migration Studies 2(1). 2014: 77-99.
Schmidtke, O. and Zaslove, A. “Multilevel Party Politics of Immigration in Germany and Italy”. In: Hepburn, E. and Zapata-Barrero, R. (eds.). The Politics of Immigration in Multi-level States: Governance and Political Parties. London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2014 (pp 177-199).
2013
Schmidtke, O. "Towards a cosmopolitan and inclusive European identity? Negotiating immigrants; inclusion and exclusion in the new Europe". In: Salvatore, A., Schmidtke, O. and Trenz, H.J. (eds.). Rethinking the Public Sphere Through Transnationalizing Processes: Europe and Beyond. New York: Palgrave, 2013, pp. 132-155.
Salvatore, A., Schmidtke, O. and Trenz, H.J. "Introduction: Rethinking the Public Sphere Through Transnationalizing Processes". In: Salvatore, A., Schmidtke, O. and Trenz, H.J. (eds.). Rethinking the Public Sphere Through Transnationalizing Processes: Europe and Beyond. New York: Palgrave, 2013, pp. 1-19.
Schmidtke, O. "Wasting the cultural capital of newcomers? Integrating skilled migrants into the British and German labour market." In: P. Triadafilopoulos (ed.). Wanted and Welcome? Highly Skilled Immigration Policies in Comparative Perspective. Springer Press, 2013, pp. 86-104.
2012
Schmidtke, O. "Commodifying Migration: Excluding Migrants in Europe’s Emerging Social Model." The British Journal of Sociology 2012 Volume 63, pp. 31-38.
Schmidtke, O. "Multikulturalismus als zivilgesellschaftliche Gestaltungsaufgabe: eine demokratietheoretische Interpretation." In: Ariëns, E., Richter, E. and M. Sicking (ed.). Multikulturalität in Europa-Teilhabe in der Einwanderungsgesellschaft. Series: Europäische Horizonte. transcript-Verlag, 2012, pp. 36-57.
Schmidtke, O. "Integrating Migrants Beyond the Nation-State? The Paradoxical Effects of Including Newcomers in a European Social and Cultural Community." In: DeBardeleben (ed.) Transnational Europe: Promise, Paradox, Limits. New York: Palgrave, 2012, pp. 189-204.
2011
Schmidtke, O. „Kanadas Republikanischer Multikulturalismus. WeltTrends, Zeitschrift für Internationale Politik, 2 (77), 2011: pp. 61-70.
Schmidtke, O. "Borders, Migration and Human Rights" (review essay). Journal Of Borderlands Studies,26 (1), 2011.
Schmidtke, O. "Konservativer Duchmarsch in Kanada?" (Commentary) In: Blätter für Deutsche und Internationale Politik. No. 6, 2011: pp. 27-29.
Schmidtke, O. and Chira, C. "Contested Neighbourhood: Toward the 'Europeanization' of Moldova?" Comparative European Politics. 9, 2011: pp. 467–485.
Schittenhelm, K. and Schmidtke, O. "Integrating Highly Skilled Migrants into the Economy: Transatlantic perspectives". International Journal 66 (1), 2011: pp. 127-143.
2010
Schmidtke, O. "Einwanderer als Ware." In: Blätter für Deutsche und Internationale Politik, No. 10, October 2010, pp. 51-57.
Schmidtke, O. "Eine republikanische Lesart der kanadischen Multikulturalismus." In: Heinz Kleger (ed.) Umstrittene Bürgerschaft. Grenzen, Identitäten und Konflikte, 2010, Potsdam: Universitätsverlag Potsdam, pp.87-96.
2009
Schmidtke, O. "Kanada als Einwanderungsland, - ein Beispiel für Deutschland" In: Aus Politik und Zeitgeschehen. 44, Oktober 2009, pp. 25-32.
Schmidtke, O. "Canadian Multiculturalism as an Ethos, Policy and Conceptual Lens for Immigration Research." In: D. Thraenhardt (ed.) National Paradigms in Immigration Research. IMIS Jahrbuch, 2009, pp. 95-118.
Nohl, A., Schittenhelm, K., Schmidtke, O., and Weiss, A. "Zur Einführung: Migration, kulturelles Kapital und Statuspassagen in den Arbeitsmark." In: Kulturelles Kapital und Migration (eds. Nohl, A., Schittenhelm, K., Schmidtke, O. and Weiss, A.). Frankfurt: Verlag Sozialwissenschaft, 2009, pp. 9-37.
Schmidtke, O. "Ethnisches kulturelles Kapital in der Arbeitsmarktintegration: Zwischen ethnischer Nischenökonomie und Übergang in den allgemeinen Arbeitsmarkt." In: Kulturelles Kapital und Migration (eds. Arnd Nohl, Karin Schittenhelm, Oliver Schmidtke, Anja Weiss). Frankfurt: Verlag Sozialwissenschaft, 2009, pp. 240-261.
2008
Schmidtke, O. "Kanadischer Interkulturalismus." Blätter für Deutsche und Internationale Politik, No. 8, August 2008, pp. 20-25.
Schmidtke, O. "Introduction: National Closure and Beyond." In: Governing Migration in the Age of Globalization (O. Schmidtke and S. Ozcurumez), New York: Palgrave, 2008 pp.1-14.
Schmidtke, O. "Borders in a 'Post-national'’' Age: Changing Modes of Inclusion and Exclusion in European Societies." In: Governing Migration in the Age of Globalization (eds. O. Schmidtke and S. Ozcurumez), New York: Palgrave, 2008, pp. 91-111.
Schmidtke, O. and Yekelchyk, S. "Introduction." In: Europe's Last Frontier? Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova between Russia and the European Union (eds. O. Schmidtke and S. Yekelchyk), New York: Palgrave, 2008, pp. 1-9.
Schmidtke, O. and Chira, C. "The Promise of Europe: Moldova and the Process of Europeanization" (together with C. Chira). In: Europe's Last Frontier? Ukraine, Belarus, and Moldova between Russia and the European Union (eds. O. Schmidtke and S. Yekelchyk), New York: Palgrave, 2008, pp.133-156.
Schmidtke, O. "The Threatening Other in the East: Continuities and Discontinuities in modern German- Polish relations." In: R. Nelson (ed.) Europe's East-West Divide: A Legacy of Colonialism?, Series on Europe Cultural History, New York: Palgrave, 2008, pp. 165-184.
2007
Schmidtke, O. "In Search of a European Identity: Towards a Genuine Political Community?" In: Behind the Headlines, Vol 64 (2), 2007, pp. 9-15.
Schmidtke, O. "Bound by national categories? The promises and limitations of Kymlicka’s Multicultural Odysseys". In: Ethnopolitics Vol. 6, No. 4, 2007, pp. 613-617.
Schmidtke, O. "(Dis-)Empowering immigrants: Cultural diversity in the health care sector and political advocacy in Canada." In: International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care. Vol. 3 (3), 2007, pp. 20-28.
Schmidtke, O. "Politicising EMU: the 'egitimacy gap' and the populist challenge to the EU." In: Torres, F., Verdun, A. and Zimmermann, H. (Eds.) EMU Rules: The Political and Economic Consequences of European Monetary Integration, Nomos, 2007, pp. 34-53. (revised and updated reprint of article published in 2004).
2006
Nohl, A., Schittenhelm, K., Schmidtke, O., and Weiss, W. "Cultural Capital during Migration—A Multi-level Approach for the Empirical Analysis of the Labor Market Integration of Highly Skilled Migrants". In: Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 7(3), Art. 14. [54 Absätze]. Forum Qualitative Sozialforschung/Forum: Qualitative Social Research [On-line Journal], 7(3), Art. 14. 2006
Schmidtke, O. "Kultur der Einwanderung oder Krise der Integration. Nordamerika und Europa im Vergleich". In: Blätter für Deutsche und Internationale Politik, No. 7, June 2006, pp. 837 – 844.
Schmidtke, O. "Immigration Policy in Europe: A Challenge to Established Forms of Multi-Level Governance." In: Walzenbach, G. (Ed.), European Governance: Policy Making Between Politicization and Control, Ashgate, 2006, pp. 127-146.
Schmidtke, O. "Das Ende des multikulturellen Experiements? Einige Beobachtungen zurKrise der Integration; aus nordamerikanischer Sicht." In: Baringhorst, S., Hollifield, J. and Hunger, U. (Eds.). Herausforderung Migration - Perspektiven der vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft. LIT Verlag, 2006, pp. 283-305.
Cherry, K., Nichols, J., Ouziel, P. and Schmidtke, O. Human Rights in a Decolonizing Key. Report for the British Columbia Office of the Human Rights Commissioner (BCOHRC) Baseline Study Framework, 2020 (60 pages).
Schmidtke, O. "Citizenship and Multiculturalism in the 21st Century: The changing face of social, cultural, and civic inclusion". Capstone Report for Metropolis BC (Working Paper 12/06); 2012, 41 pages.
Schmidtke, O. and S. Neumann "Engaging the Migrant Community Outside of Canada’s Main Metropolitan Centres" Metropolis BC Working Paper Series No 10-13, 2010, 40 pages.
Grad students
2005 – 2008 Tara Douglas, MA
2005 – 2007 Cameron Whitehead, MA
2005 – 2010 Mirko Kovacev, PhD
2006- 2008 Grant Burns, MA
2007-08 Ania Zbyszewska, MA (co-supervision with Law)
2007 – 2008 Antonia Stessl, MA (co-supervision with University of Munich)
2007-2009 Sebastian Huebel, MA
2008-2009 Caitlin Johnston, MA
2009-2010 Alexander Gun, MA
2009-2010 Bruce Lyth, MA
2009-2010 Swetha Ranasuriya, MA (co-supervision with Royal Roads)
2008-2010 Anindya Sarkar, MA
2005 – 2012 Constantin Chira, PhD
2005 – 2013 Lloy Wylie, PhD (co-supervision with UBC)
2008-2012 Ania Zbyszewska, PhD (co-supervision with Law)
2008-present Steffen Neumann, PhD
2009-2011 Meghan Bowen, MA
2010-2011 Graeme Crouch, MA
2010-2012 Katrina Gower, MA
2010-2016 Alexander Gunn, PhD
2011-2014 Gery Hershmat, MA
2011-present Katie Holmes, MA
2011-2013 Shiva Amiri, MA (co-supervision with Hamburg University)
2012-2014 Sunju Yoon, MA
2012-2014 Benjamin Hoffmann, MA
2012-present Klaus Allerdissen, MA (jointly with Germanic Studies)
