Fond of Difference and Critical of Discrimination: The Challenges Facing Educational Institutions in a Multiethnic Society
Report on a Talk by Professor Paul Mecheril
Many schools and other educational institutions want to adapt to heterogeneity and become more accepting of difference. In view of their students’ differing biographical and educational backgrounds, the large number of languages they speak, and the plurality of cultures that form and evolve in multiethnic societies, these schools are currently facing major challenges. In addition, the high level of inequality in society – caused in part by national, ethnic, and cultural power relations – makes it imperative to adopt an anti-discriminatory perspective on diversity. This talk introduced approaches from the field of migration pedagogy and deliberately did not dwell on students of foreign descent or their parents.
In most cases, the widespread focus on target groups is based on the idea of providing additional support to individual students in order to help them overcome their deficiencies. However, this focus fails to meet two main requirements. First, the change that is necessary in the field of migration and education must be conceived and organized as a process of transforming educational institutions. Second, consideration must be given to all students and individuals in the education system, not only to those of foreign descent.
The talk was given by Professor Paul Mecheril from the University of Oldenburg. The subsequent discussion was led by Dr. Anja Durdel, Director of Programs and Communication at the German Children and Youth Foundation.
Contact
Dr. Diana Dressel
Head of Education Department
T +49 (0)30 259 93 515
d.dressel@jmberlin.de
Conference Documentation: Schools and Museums Conference Working Groups (19)
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Schools and Museums Conference Working Groups
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Raising Awareness of Diversity
Working Group Report, group with Dr. Czarina Wilpert (Eine Welt der Vielfalt e. V.) and Grit Gottschalk (Ernst-Schering-Schule, Berlin), moderator: Meral El (Jewish Museum Berlin)
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A Three-Perspective Approach
Bringing Together an Interculturally Aware School, a Diversity-Focused Museum, and Anti-Discrimination Education, panel with Zahide Doğaç, Ibrahim Gülnar and Leontine Meijer-van Mensch, moderator: Dr. Rosa Fava
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Language across the Curriculum
Report on a Working Group by Lilo Martens
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Learning to Talk about Racist Discrimination
Report on a Working Group by Toan Nguyen
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Exhibitions are Created by Museums, Right? On the Varied Significance of Exhibitions for Schools
Working Group Report, group with Petra Zwaka, Silvia Linnenbürger and Jutta Dücker, moderator: Dr. Diana Dressel
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Diversity through Participation: How Student Participation Can Help Schools Manage Diversity Effectively
Working Group Report, group with Karin Schreibeis and Sandra Christall, moderator: Andrea Blaneck
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Learning about History in a Multiethnic Society
Working Group Report, with inputs by Dr. Elke Gryglewski (Haus der Wannsee-Konferenz, Berlin), Selman Erkovan (educational consultant, Berlin) and Fabian Schnedler (Jewish Museum Berlin), moderator: Ulrike Wagner (University of Leipzig)
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Diversity in Literature for Young People
Working Group Report, impulses by André Barth (Ernst-Schering-Oberschule, Berlin), Ulrich Hipler (B.-Traven-Oberschule, Berlin) and Nina Wilkens (Jewish Museum Berlin)
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How Can Political Leaders and Society Support Intercultural Awareness at Schools?
Report on a Panel Discussion with Özcan Mutlu, Evelin Lubig-Fohsel, André Barth and Dr. Diana Dressel, moderator: Dr. Nkechi Madubuko
Video
13 Oct 2014 -
Fond of Difference and Critical of Discrimination: The Challenges Facing Educational Institutions in a Multiethnic Society
Report on a Talk by Professor Paul Mecheril (Carl von Ossietzky University Oldenburg), followed by a discussion led by Dr. Anja Durdel (German Children and Youth Foundation)
Video
14 Oct 2014 -
Opportunities, Challenges, and Approaches to Successful Collaboration between Schools and Museums
Report on the World Café, moderator: Jutta Weimar
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“We want to change things – but only with the help of others!”
Working Group Report, input by Andrea Blaneck, moderator: Marlous Behrendt (both: Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung, Berlin)
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Caught between Identification and External Perceptions: What Constitutes “School”?
Working Group Report, inputs by Heinrich Meise (Refik-Veseli-Sekundarschule, Berlin), Markus Schega and Dr. Michael Senn (Nürtingen Grundschule, Berlin), and Friedhelm Botsch (Hermann-Hesse-Schule, Berlin), moderator: Meral El (Jewish Museum Berlin)
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Educational Theater: Methods and Approaches for Educators in Schools and Museums
Working Group Report, group with Laura Söllner, Anja Scheffer, Heidemarie Link and Eva Albert , moderator: Dr. Diana Dressel
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Working with Biographies to Increase Cultural Awareness
Working Group Report, group with Franziska Bogdanov, Beate Klammt, Rainer Brieske and Michael Merbitz, moderator: Sarah Hiron
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Film as a Method in Anti-Discrimination Education
Working Group Report, group with Gunnar Meyer and Vera March-Berg, moderator: Fabian Schnedler
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Marginalized Biographies: Using the Life Stories of Jews, Roma, and Sinti in Educational Work
Working Group Report, group with Steffen Jost and Katharina Obens, moderator: Ulrike Wagner (University of Leipzig)
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Antisemitism in Social Media
Working Group Report, group with Gabriele Rohmann and Martin Gegenheimer (Archiv der Jugendkulturen e. V., Berlin), André Barth (Ernst-Schering-Oberschule, Berlin) and Martina Brandes-Parow (B.-Traven-Oberschule, Berlin), moderator: Jutta Weimar
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Schools and Museums in a Society Shaped by Migration
Reflections on the Conference, moderators: Dr. Anja Durdel (Deutsche Kinder- und Jugendstiftung) and Tanja Petersen (Jewish Museum Berlin)