Diversity Monitor

The efms realized a major study in cooperation with the Bertelsmann Foundation which implemented a comparative analysis of the practice and policy in the 16 German Laender with regard to the factual ethnic and religious diversity. The study uses the concept of quality of live and analyses in ten central dimensions for quality of live, how much the situation of residents with migratory background differs from autochthonous residents. Reduced differences in live situation and quality of live among the two target groups are understood as an indicator for a well developed practice in handling diversity stemming from migration processes; ideally, no systematic differences between quality of life and inclusion/participation between the two groups can be found anymore. The ten dimensions of quality of life have been operationalised by selected quantitative and qualitative indicators compiled from own empirical research, official data and analysis of official documents. These indicators are comparable among the Laender. Out of these 45 indicator variables, one composite indicator for each of the 10 dimensions is calculated.

In addition to this description of the situation reflecting the current state of affairs in the various Laender at the time of the study, a structured inventory of policy measures and projects implemented at the Laender level and aiming at an improved management of diversity from migration, has been collected and analysed for intended and potential impact on the dimensions relevant for the quality of life. Furthermore, Laender profiles provide a qualitative description of the specific integration policy setting and development including the relevant context and historic path dependencies of each Bundesland. In a concluding chapter, a typology of the Länder is developed which provides information about potential interrelations between the situation of the practice in dealing with diversity from migration on the one hand, and structural and historical specifities of similar Laender clusters (or their differences across clusters) on the other.

The results of the project are published by a Final report (in German) and an interactive web page; the interactive web page enables a simple and transparent access to the underlying complex data set in order to acquire an easy overview on the situation in the various Bundeslaender, and to compare the situation among Laender according to chosen dimensions and indicator variables.

Cooperation partner: Bertelsmann Foundation
Project duration: January 2014 - March 2017
Researchers: Susanne Bartig, Wolfgang Bosswick
Publication: Bartig, S./Bosswick,W./Heckmann, F.: Vielfaltsmonitor. Studie zum Umgang mit ethnischer und religiöser Vielfalt in Deutschland, Bamberg 2017 (in German)