Germany is a diverse country. This presents opportunities for future development in a globalized world, but also challenges for how people live together. At present, it seems that many people perceive the challenges more than the opportunities. Increasing social diversity is just one issue among many that contribute to a sense of fatigue or even overwhelm: wars and conflicts, climate change, the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, refugee movements, and economic recession. Each of these challenges is significant on its own, yet in recent years they have emerged almost simultaneously and have reinforced one another.
Against this backdrop, social change is increasingly perceived as an additional burden. And these changes are manifold: demographic shifts are progressing noticeably. Growing income inequality is causing major problems, and distributional conflicts are intensifying. Ongoing immigration from around the world is leading to greater linguistic, cultural, and religious diversity. At the same time, German society is undergoing a process of pluralization and individualization, in which formerly marginalized groups – such as queer individuals – are becoming more central to public discourse.
So what is the connection between diversity and social cohesion? How do people in Germany interact with others of different ages or genders, with those who are socially disadvantaged or disabled, and with the diversity of sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, and religions? And how can acceptance of diversity be strengthened? With the Diversity Barometer study, we aim to find answers to these questions.
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