Abstract:
Migratory workers and (increasingly) the members of their families who reside in the Federal Republic of Germany, have become a considerable social factor which does not always smoothly fit into the political, social and economic structures of the guest country. This causes considerable difficulties for empirical, social scientific research. Not only do language problems have to be taken into account, but also the differences relating to the specific cultures and socialisation processes of the various nationalities. Therefore, a valid concept and method development is necessary for surveying migratory workers. This means that cultural influences of the mother country, as well as the specific situation of the foreigners in the guest country have to be taken into account.