The Challenges of Plural Societies

Most modern societies today are characterized by their internal pluralism. Populations are composed of people with different ethnic, cultural, religious and social backgrounds, who represent a great variety of life styles and ideological orientations. In short: Modern societies are diverse and hence have to deal with diversity.

However, diversity can be perceived rather differently. Diversity can be considered as valuable, attractive, exiting, challenging but also as threatening. Whatever reaction diversity provokes, the ability to tolerate what is often considered as the "Other” becomes a key-competence for a peaceful and democratic coexistence of mankind on the threshold of the 21st century.

"Cultivating humanity” as the famous American philosopher Martha Nussbaum points out, presents a major future challenge. It is not surprising that education takes the most prominent role here. After all, education for democracy, tolerance, and human rights seems the most promising field of action in terms of "cultivating humanity”.

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