Interkulturelle Kompetenztrainings für Ehrenamtliche in der Flüchtlingsarbeit auf dem Prüfstand. Studie zu den konzeptionellen Grundlagen und zum Crashkurstrend in der Freiwilligenqualifizierung

The themes of flight and migration determine the public discourse more than ever before. Not only practical assistance is required, just as evident is the challenge for each individual in the personal interaction. Every encounter takes place in a cultural overlapping situation and is thus extraordinary. The new presence of the theme demands everyone’s cultural self-location and reflection on categories of strangeness and familiarity. Intercultural competence gains a new status and a special marketability in the whole range: own and foreign cultural knowledge, self-reflection ability, change of perspective, knowledge of foreign languages. This is accompanied by a change in perception and an appreciation of the preconditions of cultural hybrids. The article examines to which theoretical concepts of interculturality refer the measures of renowned, state-subsidized institutions. The used concept of culture plays a role here, questions of quality assurance and effectiveness as well as the adequacy of theory and methods for the target group. In order to cope with the complexity of super-diverse societies, an interdisciplinary research perspective is needed. Therefore, both sources of interculturalism and cultural studies as well as sociology and political science are included.