Interculturality is a central theme of our times. The close proximity and coexistence of people from different cultures in a shared territory is what distinguishes modern societies; the problems and conflicts arising from this are on the agenda in both national and international politics. Close to 100 social scientists and other academics at Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz are carrying out interdisciplinary research under the auspices of the Center for Intercultural Studies in about 50 projects. The researchers are analyzing the changes in living conditions that result from emigration/immigration and are investigating the connections between science, politics, and ethnic minorities.

Founded in 1997, the Center aims at generating synergy between the many humanities and cultural studies disciplines at Mainz University. To date, a great number of intercultural and interdisciplinary research projects have been given support. The projects promoted at present range from investigations into historical contacts between cultures through studies of cultural models conveyed by films to current European issues such as the social and cultural development of the younger generations of immigrant workers or the re-shaping of identities in the post-colonial age.

In addition to this research, the Center for Intercultural Studies is active in making the various specializations of these focal research units public – in particular in the form of interdisciplinary events, continuous teacher training, guest lectureships, visiting professorships, and project presentations. One of the Center's main concerns is to find access to the public arena. It collaborates widely with partners in politics and the economy, culture, and society. In previous years, the Center has promoted more than fifty conferences, financed a dozen guest professorships and put on numerous public events with literary figures, artists and musicians in collaboration with cultural organizations, particularly here in Mainz. The Center endeavors to promote intercultural skills across cultures and to create suitable tools to make intercultural expertise available to its relevant practitioners.

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