• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

Today

• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Unknown Underground
• Vienna - Cats
• Vienna - Andy Warhol
• Vienna - Laser Tag

© europics.at

04. 01. 12. - 18:00

• more General News news
• RSS Feed General News

04. 01. 12. - 18:00

Racist youth check causes controversy

A sociologist has questioned the results of a disputed study on Austrian teens’ attitudes.

Newspaper commentators, integration experts and radio talk show hosts engaged in a heated debate about the outcome of the latest examination by the Austrian Institute for Youth Culture Research. The organisation found that 43.6 per cent of Vienna-based teens agreed with the statement that "there are way too many Turks in Austria."

The poll – in which Austrians aged between 16 and 19 participated – also found that 11.2 per cent were of the opinion that German Third Reich dictator Adolf Hitler "also did many good things."

Bernhard Heinzlmaier, who carried out the research, said 37 per cent of Austrian youngsters claimed that a lack of determination and laziness were the main aspects of their failure to make ends meet.

Vienna University sociologist Paul Scheibelhofer told Die Presse today (Weds) he generally welcomed an increase of research focusing on racism and discrimination. However, Scheibelhofer also warned that this "complex phenomenon needs differentiated analyses". The sociologist also put the poll’s result into question since it was carried out online.

Other integration experts and immigration activists criticised the wording of some questions of the Institute for Youth Culture Research’s survey – and claimed that some Austrian media would "strengthen discriminating tendencies" against foreigners. They deplored that some papers argued the result reflected a widespread opinion of Austrians due to more crimes committed by young immigrants.

Meanwhile, People’s Party (ÖVP) Integration Secretary Sebastian Kurz launched a campaign for more understanding between Austrians and immigrants. His new initiative called "Zusammen Österreich" sends 100 foreigners who succeeded in Austria to schools to speak with students of various ethnical backgrounds about preconceptions and problems in their daily lives. Sports stars, managers and TV presenters agreed to participate in the campaign.

Kurz was sworn in last April. He said one of his key ambitions was to break down barriers between Austrians and immigrants. The ÖVP Vienna vice chief said foreigners living in Austria should be proud of their personal backgrounds but also of Austria as their new homeland. Kurz claimed learning German was an immensely important aspect of successful integration and underlined the great potential immigrants had.

Around one in three residents of Vienna have a migration background. Most of the hundreds of thousands of foreigners residing in the capital come from former Yugoslavia. Vienna has the largest share of immigrants among Austria’s nine provinces. The eastern region of Burgenland is at the bottom of this ranking with a rate of just 9.4 per cent. Germans are the largest group of foreigners in five provinces. However, the debate about good and bad examples for integration mostly ranges around Turks and people from the Arabian region.

The purchasing power of foreigners and people who grew up in Austria in families with a migratory background is, at 20 billion Euros, four billion Euros higher than the spending power of the millions of tourists coming to the country, according to a RegioData investigation. Experts claim Austrian firms still have a long way to go before realising how to make use of immigrants’ economic capacities. While some mobile service firms and food manufacturers succeeded with campaigns addressing both Austrians and immigrants, various enterprises embarrassed themselves with poorly planned marketing initiatives aiming at foreigners living in the country.

Austrian Times

Related articles: Vienna focus

1. Knoflacher emphasises pedestrian zones' economic effects

   » General News 2012-05-24

   A renowned traffic planner has stressed that shop owners are generally appreciating the introduction of pedestrian zones.

2. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

3. Vienna road toll on the agenda again

   » General News 2012-05-22

   The Vienna Greens are risking a coalition-internal conflict by calling for a city toll.

more related articles tagged "Vienna focus"

Related articles: right-wing Austria

1. Pröll outpaces friends and foes in capability check

   » General News 2012-05-23

   Austria’s longest-serving governor has been identified as the most capable one in the opinion of citizens.

2. BZÖ ends Stronach speculations

   » General News 2012-05-18

   The Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) has finally dismissed the circulating rumours about teaming up with a billionaire businessman.

3. BZÖ farewell possible, poll shows

   » General News 2012-05-17

   The chances of the Alliance for the Future of Austria (BZÖ) to avoid dropping out of parliament are waning, according to a new poll.

more related articles tagged "right-wing Austria"

Related articles: political scandals

1. Coalition accelerates anti-corruption ambitions

   » General News 2012-05-24

   The government is intensifying its attempts to pass a transparency package in parliament.

2. Army pays 2,000 staff for being idle

   » General News 2012-05-23

   The pressure on Social Democratic (SPÖ) Defence and Sport Minister Norbert Darabos is increasing as a new Audit Office (RH) examination indicates a waste of taxpayers’ money by the army.

3. Foul-mouthed MPs might face fines

   » General News 2012-05-23

   Fritz Neugebauer has started another attempt to introduce a system of fees for abusive parliament delegates (MPs).

more related articles tagged "political scandals"

Related articles: EU

1. Pecik defends TA engagement

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Telekom Austria (TA) investor Ronny Pecik has declared himself a team player.

2. IV demands focus on industry in crisis

   » Business 2012-05-24

   The general secretary of the Federation of Austrian Industries (IV) has appealed on Europe’s political leaders to strengthen the continent’s industry.

3. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

more related articles tagged "EU"

Related articles: CEE news

1. Pecik defends TA engagement

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Telekom Austria (TA) investor Ronny Pecik has declared himself a team player.

2. FW turnover takes off

   » Business 2012-05-24

   Austria’s biggest airport has managed to increase its profit.

3. Küng tackles Schüller group

   » General News 2012-05-24

   Another top-tier representative of the Austrian Church has warned the Preachers’ Initiative from consequences.

more related articles tagged "CEE news"

Turks flattened by lone asylum seeker
A furious Nigerian went on the rampage at a refuge for asylum seekers in Leibnitz, attacking several people and damaging property.

Woman bites toddler
A woman who bit a two-year-old tot during a road rage row with her mother is being quizzed by police in Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

New Dany Boon comedy to be filmed in Austria
The French film star Dany Boon, one of the highest paid actors in Europe after his hit film "Welcome to the Sticks", is filming in Salzburg.

China meets Hallstatt
After a long time of speculation and anticipation the exact copy of Austrian world heritage village of Hallstatt-Dachstein in China will be unveiled, and there will be real-life Austrians present for the ceremony.

Skier in court after accident
A man from Graz is in court today accused of having inflicted negligent injury upon a five-year-old when skiing in Carinthia last year.

Two fires in Ottakring claim one life
Two fires started on Thursday evening in the Vienna district of Ottakring, one of which claimed a man’s life. Several people were evacuated as a result of the two blazes.

Cows zapped to death by lightning
Four cows were zapped to death after a lightning strike hit the barbed wire fence they were leaning on in Reith im Alpbachtal, Austria.

Wolf babies born in Schönbrunn
These cuddly Artic wolf cubs have got every right to look a bit frosty - after they emerged into the world for the first time in the middle of a 27 degree heatwave.

Cleaned Out
A Hungarian cleaning woman who stole tens of thousands of pounds worth of antique jewellery from an Austrian Countess and then sold it for "pocket money" unaware of its real value has been jailed by a court in Austria.

Great expectations for summer tourism season in Vorarlberg
The Vorarlberg tourism industry is currently riding high after a record breaking winter season, and the summer season is expected to follow that same trend.

Jobs in Austria