Reducing Prejudice in Pluralistic Societies. Trends in Non-Formal and Informal Anti-Prejudice Education in Germany

Findings of an international mapping study on educational tools to prevent prejudice in 2007 demonstrated a generally high societal awareness about the importance of struggling against prejudice. In spite of a great number of appropriate strategies, measures and approaches, the study also identified deficiencies and a potential for improvement. Most of these deficiencies derive from a lack of consideration of theoretical background knowledge on prejudice, of systematic evaluation, of information exchange and cooperation between institutions and professionals working in the field of anti-prejudice education. In Germany, building upon a variety of practical experience, numerous steps to develop innovative anti-prejudice approaches have already been taken during the past years. Especially in the scope of federal programmes, pilot projects were implemented and evaluated in order to improve pedagogical tools that focus on preventing or reducing prejudice. This article will show respective starting points and approaches, going beyond the “classical” intercultural education, in order to identify strategies which also take the societal causes and conditions of prejudice into consideration, mainly by fostering collaborative activities between schools and non-formal educators as well as child and youth welfare services. In this context, the current transformation processes towards full-time school services (Ganztagsschule) in Germany induce new forms of formal, non-formal and informal educational settings. These hybrid forms show a high potential for embedding anti-prejudice and anti-bias measures in comprehensive strategies and for improving the effectiveness of such approaches.