Institute ISW

The Institute for Integration and Social Efficacy is a multidisciplinary and inter-university research institute that aims to provide, by means of scientific research, insight into the ways in which a more resilient society can be created, wherein perspectives and identities of different cultural groups are integrated, and positive relations amongst them are maintained.

Differences between people can lead to tension, which in turn may undermine the cohesion and sense of security within a society. The confluence of differing ideas can lead to conflicts and communication problems. It is therefore important to question which mechanisms could have a stabilizing effect on a society that is becoming increasingly diverse. This diversity can, however, also give rise to opportunity. Historical analysis has shown that it can contribute to the dynamics of a society. Similarly, it has been observed that the innovative strength of a city can be enhanced by the diversity within its urban environment, which is the result of, for example, people with widely varying lifestyles being concentrated together, or by the combination of buildings of varying type and function within a given area (offices, shops, bars and restaurants, places of worship, homes, contemporary and historical buildings). Research has shown that under certain conditions, diversity can also lead to increased innovation and creativity in the workplace.

The research program at the ISW institute aims to identify mechanisms that may contribute to the dynamics and cohesion within a diverse society, as well finding those mechanisms which may have a more destabilizing effect. To this end, and by combining a number of different scientific disciplines, the ISW institute focuses on the following:

-          Law
-          Religious communities
-          Language and identity
-          Spatial environment
-          Media
-          Institutions and organisations
-          Safety and safety management
-          Education
-          Society

The ISW Institute collaborates with other universities and brings together leading scientists. It is thus able to utilize all expertise that is available both nationally and abroad. Our research aims to address relevant social issues in close partnership with executive institutions. A multidisciplinary method allows us to analyze and answer these complex issues from many different angles.