Building intercultural competences in a sociological perspective

 Intercultural competences are a relevant object of study in Social Sciences, as they confront us with the complex and dynamic relationship between knowledge, education and society. Starting from an EU Lifelong Learning Intensive Programme aimed at developing intercultural competences in education, social-work and health-care professionals, I am going to highlight the sociological relevance of an educational path planned and carried out in an international context, with a special focus on those aspects proper to sociological tradition, that it brings into play. This analysis will point out the contribution that sociology may offer to the development of an educational model which fits the needs of an increasingly wide and complex European reality. Starting from the outcomes of both quantitative (questionnaire, cluster analysis) and qualitative (focus group, reflective diaries) tools of exploration used during the programme, I will show the importance of students’ social capital, especially their bonding or bridging features, in their evaluation of the programme and in their achievement of advanced stages of intercultural sensitivity and competency. This evidence will prove the importance of an educational model that works on social capitals and that itself becomes an occasion for a bridging sociality.