Compte Rendu of Hamid’s Story Series: Disappearing Responsibility
I wrote this series first of all to vent about it, but also to preserve a trace of what was said and how it was answered—to keep both the story and its afterlife visible.
Topic
GermanCourseBook
This series documents how a complaint about migrant representation in a German language textbook moved through publishers, language schools, NGOs, and academia without resolution. Each actor acknowledged the issue while shifting responsibility elsewhere. What began as a classroom observation ended as a trace of institutional deflection, procedural delay, and the gradual disappearance of accountability.
Dead Ends: What Happens After a Complaint Leaves the Language School
I would ask them to keep in mind that many of us came here because of state violence or political pressure, and that we are often more skeptical (because of prior experiences with the state) and afraid (due to our fragile status as immigrants) in this country.
Everyone Appreciates Your Feedback: How the School Handled My Complaint
I said that it is not fair to ask an immigrant to write such complaints to BAMF.
They asked why.
I answered: because of the dependency relations we have with these institutions.
Hamid's Glow-Up and Sloppy Terms: What the Publisher Said
"after feedback from our editorial team, we can understand your concerns, but we do not share the same view that a text about personal plans in a textbook at B1/B2 level should also include the topic of the difficulties faced by migrants in Germany. "
Hamid’s Story and the Politics of Gratitude in German Language Course Book
From the perspective of an immigrant from a Muslim-majority country, this story sends a troubling message: the message is that simply escaping war should be enough reason to be grateful.