How xenophobic is Basel, Switzerland?

November 26, 2014 6:31 AM

I'm considering a job offer from a Big Pharma corporation in Basel, Switzerland. I'm Filipino-American, currently based in DC, and am concerned about xenophobia and racism in Swiss society.* If you know of any blogs, articles, etc., that touch on this subject on a more personal level, please point me in their direction. I'm especially interested in reading first-person accounts.
posted by anonymous to Society & Culture (9 answers total)

You could visit the English forum, which is frequented both by people considering a move to Switzerland as well as expats already there. Plenty of old threads and ongoing discussion you may find interesting. The tone is somewhat different from Askme though.

In general Basel, being in the corner between Germany, France and CH is full of non Swiss. Plenty of people commute across the border every day from the neighbouring countries. There are also a large number of multinationals in Basel, which bring in expats from all over the world. So as far as Switzerland goes, Basel is quite diverse.

There is a degree of xenophobia and racism but for a country with a very high proportion of foreign residents the country is remarkably welcoming. I think how comfortable foreigners feel in CH comes down to a range of factors. Consider the effect of Swiss culture being quite traditional, the fact that English is a 2nd, 3rd, nth language for people you talk to and that political correctness is not really a consideration here.

Disclaimer - white, German expat who ended up in CH after more than a decade in the UK. My employer sent me to Basel first but I am now based in Zurich. I work for a multinational, my colleagues are both Swiss as well as expats and my clients are multinationals with a mix of locals and expats in the workforce.
posted by koahiatamadl at 7:03 AM on November 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

You could perhaps look at toytowngermany's Southern Germany forum. Here is a thread that does not necessarily pertain to Basel, but still discuss some relevant issues: "Racism and Discrimination in Munich"

I'm a fellow Asian-American and have heard from a number of my relatives and (Asian) friends who have lived in Germany and Switzerland for over twenty years (not Basel, though, so perhaps their experience will be different) that racism is definitely a thing there, especially towards Asians. It's one thing to be non-Swiss but white.... and a completely different experience to be a person of color.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 7:14 AM on November 26, 2014 [9 favorites]

Switzerland is the country in Europe with the highest percentage of foreign-born residents, something like 20%. But that counts Germans, French, and Italians who are juuust over the border.
posted by wnissen at 9:33 AM on November 26, 2014

My Japanese boyfriend lives in Geneva and at least there, we (I am German) did not get weird looks so far.

There is definitely a lot of casual racism agains Asian-looking people in Europe. Eyes pulled to slits, ching chang chong noises... People do not even see that as racist, it is just jokes for them. (I disagree.) My Suisse friend of Asian descent thinks people making othering remarks about Asians are just stating facts, but she also says things about all women being X, so I think she has internalised racism as well as sexism.
posted by LoonyLovegood at 10:04 AM on November 26, 2014 [3 favorites]

i have some thoughts for you, but I would rather memail them. If you are interested, memail me.
posted by jazh at 11:49 AM on November 26, 2014

The SVP, as per your link, is a disgrace. However, their voters are mainly in the countryside and Agglomeration (outer ring suburbs). Basel is probably Switzerland's most cosmopolitan city and votes to the left of the rest of German-speaking Switzerland. I have lived in a Swiss city for the last 8 years as a member of a minority (not a visible one, but one the Swiss still have some trouble accepting), and have suffered no indignities worse than occasionally being the first one people have met, and being asked odd, but polite questions. My partner is visibly nonSwiss and happy here. In my experience young urban Swiss people are keen to meet people from other cultures and distance themselves from their xenophobic heritage.

www.albanien.ch, a site for and made by people from former Yugoslavia living in Switzerland, might be interesting for you. Albanians and, to a lesser degree, Turks are the main targets of Swiss xenophobia, especially in its delightful combination with Islamophobia. Btw pretty much no foreigners can speak Swiss German - in fact "brown" immigrants are more likely to do so than Germans, for example - and no one I have met expects you to.

Based on my own experience, I think living in the middle of Europe while earning an excellent Swiss salary is a great opportunity that it would be a shame to pass up. Especially if you are willing to learn German and get out of the expat scene Switzerland is a great place to live.
posted by ogorki at 11:51 AM on November 26, 2014 [2 favorites]

Congratulations on your job offer!!

I think Basel is an awesome city but also completely understand your hesitation. Racism is Europe is a real social issue, just like racism in the US, but it tends to manifest itself in different ways.

It sounds like you are seriously considering accepting the position but that this is your main concern. Therefore, I'd recommend visiting Basel for a few days ASAP to walk around and feel the vibe, visit your potential workplace, and to speak to people, Americans of all races and ethnicities as well as people of color. Forums are a great place to start but I really believe being there in-person would be the way to go. Good luck!
posted by smorgasbord at 11:05 PM on November 26, 2014 [1 favorite]

I could put you in touch with an American/Korean/Chinese who has been in Basel 20+ years
Msg me if u want
posted by johnny7 at 12:41 AM on November 27, 2014

This thread brings up one anonymous mefite's experience on living in northern Europe as an Asian female. My experience when I was there was similar, unfortunately.
posted by gemutlichkeit at 8:01 PM on November 28, 2014