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Cultural Integration as a Path to Enhancing Well-Being and Intergroup Relations in Diverse Societies – Universität Innsbruck
Hisham Abu-Rayya bei seinem Vortrag im HS 3 der SOWI

Cul­tural Inte­gra­tion as a Path to Enhanc­ing Well-Being and Inter­group Rela­tions in Diverse Soci­eties

Guest lecture of Professor Hisham Abu-Rayya, University of Haifa, Israel

On May 14, 2025, Professor Hisham Abu-Rayya from the University of Haifa delivered a guest lecture titled “Cultural Integration as a Path to Enhancing Well-Being and Intergroup Relations in Diverse Societies.” Professor Abu-Rayya is a Full Professor of socio-cultural psychology, specializing in psychosocial functioning and development within diverse contexts. He also holds an Honorary Professorship at La Trobe University in Melbourne, Australia. In his lecture, Professor Abu-Rayya reviewed his research on the Integration Hypothesis, with a particular focus on Muslims and Arab immigrants in Western countries.

With Intercultural exchange to reduced social conflicts

Based on the results of various studies, he explained the dimensions of the acculturation model and illustrated the positive and negative impacts of these dimensions on individuals with diverse cultural backgrounds. Professor Abu-Rayya demonstrated how the social integration of minorities positively influences their psychological well-being. Especially the engagement in both their heritage culture and the broader society positively influences the well-being of minority members on the individual as well as the sociocultural level. Referring to a study, where Muslim and Christian students were paired together to collaboratively develop solutions to a problem, Professor Abu-Rayya highlighted how intercultural exchanges and contacts help reduce social conflicts and prejudices. Therefore, when cultural minorities and majorities embrace cultural integration and exchange, intercultural conflicts can be diminished in both the short and the long term.

The guest lecture was organized by the Faculty of Educational Sciences in cooperation with the Research Center on Education, Family Studies, and Life Course Studies, as well as the Department of Social Work at the Management Center Innsbruck.

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