The Institute for Diversity Studies. Cognition ∩ Literature ∩ Media ∩ Language at TU Dortmund University explores diversity from a linguistic, literary and media studies perspective. The mathematical symbol for intersection ∩ emphasizes our interdisciplinary research approach and indicates the overlap of different aspects of identity such as age, gender, first and second language, ethnic and social origin, etc. Competences and potentials as well as forms of disadvantage and discrimination can be linked to these categories. Basing our research on newer concepts of interdisciplinary Gender and Diversity Studies, we examine diversity primarily at interfaces between society, language, and culture.

The Institute for Diversity Studies at TU Dortmund University emerged in December 2020 from a research group that had existed since the summer semester of 2018. In the German and English teacher training courses for all school types, we dedicate ourselves to an inclusive and diversity-sensitive teaching. At the center of our attention are social inequalities and cultural differences as well as the positive side of diversity. We value interdisciplinary research in an international context, which we closely interlink with our range of courses. In this way, we integrate innovative and established formats of academic teaching into Diversity Studies in order to also contribute linguistic and cultural studies approaches to the overall social transformation processes in the direction of diversity, diversity and inclusion.