Research Focus Encounter and Negotiation
Social coexistence always means the encounter of differences. Our research focuses on how diversity in social and cultural heritage, age, gender, sexual orientation, physical constitution, and biographical experiences are negotiated, and what role borders and boundaries between individuals, social groups, and physical spaces play in this process.
On the one hand, we link to the research direction of geographies of encounter and are interested in the extent to which encounters can be the starting point for rethinking stereotypes, and which social and spatial contexts enable or prevent this. On the other hand, we look at negotiation processes of social diversity. These take place on different levels and are carried out by individuals, civil society organizations, political actors and institutions.
The following projects deepen the research field:
- WholeCOMM: Exploring the Integration of Post-2014-Migrants in Small and Medium-Sized Towns and Rural Areas from a Whole of Community Perspective (Horizon2020)
- PhD Project: „Migration als Arena der Aushandlung in ländlichen Kommunen“ (Hanne Schneider)
- Migration in Klein- und Mittelstädten: Lokale Narrative und ihre Bedeutung für den Zugang zum Arbeitsmarkt (Förderung Bundesverband für Wohnen und Stadtentwicklung e.V. (vhw)
