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Department of Educational Sciences and Psychology

Theory and empiricism of social pedagogy

The empirical and theoretical foundation of the socio-educational profession is at the heart of this field of work. Science and practice are not understood as opposing dichotomies, but as a mutually interwoven network. In this way, science is not understood as a neutral activity 'outside' of practice and politics, but positions itself. Specifically, the considerations in the field of work are oriented towards the following overarching questions:

  • How can empirical and theoretical knowledge be transferred, taking into account the challenges of practice?
  • How can we talk about "quality" and, in this context, "impact" without falling prey to evidence-based rationality criteria?
  • Do socio-educational professionals differ from other professions (or even non-qualified professionals)?
  • How do (ascribed) categories of difference such as age, gender, ethnicity, class or disability arise in socio-educational fields of work and action?
  • How do addressees of social pedagogy emerge from the interplay of these categories?
  • What role does research play here when corresponding categories are recurrently invoked?

These exemplary questions will be addressed theoretically and empirically using quantitative and qualitative approaches. For this purpose, certain fields of work will be focused on as examples, such as the current cooperation between social work and schools.