Analysis of No-Go Areas Concept Case Study: Neo-Nazi Territorialization in Jamel Village, Germany (2006-2024)

Document Type : Original Research

Authors
S. N. Nourbakhsh 1
Y. Zaki 2
1 PhD in Political Geography Department, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, political geography, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.48311/psp.7.2.53
Abstract
The creation of utopian communities and areas based on specific political beliefs, within the framework of the relationship between ideology and space, has manifested in various instances, the most recent being the concept of "no-go areas." This term describes territorialization in urban and rural settings by radical groups that gain control over regions, rendering them dangerous for outsiders, such as immigrants, to reside in or even pass through. This study examines the territorialization of neo-Nazis in the Federal Republic of Germany at the local level between 2006 and 2024, focusing on Jamel as a case study. The data collection method is library-based, utilizing primary Latin and German references, with a descriptive-analytical research methodology. The findings indicate that factors such as concerns over the arrival of foreign immigrants and population decline, particularly in small towns and villages across Germany, have created fertile ground for some extremist right-wing social groups to establish no-go zones. These groups attempt to construct their desired geographical spaces in certain small villages, especially in eastern Germany, by employing symbols and signs associated with the Nazi era. However, the research results reveal that neo-Nazis have limited acceptance, operating only on a local scale among a very small segment of the German population. They differ significantly from new right-wing parties, such as the AfD, in terms of ideology, organization, and performance.

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