Welcome to cAIR 

What is cAIR? The conference on Applied Interculturality Research promotes intercultural communication and understanding, and reduces the prevalence and impact of racism and xenophobia, by facilitating interactions between practice and research in all areas of interculturality.

Why cAIR? The importance of interculturality is steadily growing in all parts of the world. Technological developments are facilitating intercultural communication and mobility. Urban life and news media are increasingly dominated by intercultural issues, which in turn are influencing political strategies and election campaigns. Governmental and non-governmental organizations with an intercultural focus are becoming more numerous, influential and diverse. Inter- and transculturality play increasingly important roles in everyday life. More and more researchers in humanities, sciences, education, law, economics and religious studies are turning their attention to intercultural issues. None of these trends shows any sign of abating. 

How does cAIR work? The persistent gulf between practice (governmental and non-governmental organisations, schools, media) and research (universities, institutes) suggests that there is considerable potential for synergetic interaction. cAIR helps practitioners to benefit from research, and researchers from practice. All presentations highlight the mutual benefits of collaboration between practice and research. Keynote addresses are given by international leaders in interculturality practice and research. A high standard is ensured by forwarding submitted project summaries to expert peers in both practice and research for double-blind evaluation. We ensure that their suggestions are constructive and help participants to implement them.

Who cAIRs? cAIR is a unique opportunity for practitioners, researchers and practitioner-researchers in all areas of interculturality and all countries to meet, join forces, and progress toward common goals. A practitioner is any person who is professionally involved in any practical project or activity in any area of interculturality, including project directors/leaders, supervisors, coordinators, administrators, organisers, planners, developers, activists, artists, musicians, actors, teachers, educators, social workers, publishers, advisors, consultants, officials, promoters and policy makers. A researcher is any person who is qualified in a relevant academic discipline (e.g. humanities, sciences; economic, legal, religious studies) and professionally involved in research in any area of interculturality.

cAIR is part of fAIR, the forum for Applied Interculturality Research at the University of Graz. fAIR is a group of Graz researchers who wish to promote positive constructive intercultural and interdisciplinary interaction. fAIR has had two previous names. From 2000-2006, it was called universitäre Initiativen gegen Fremdenfeindlichkeit (uigf, university initiatives against xenophonia). In 2000, it was called Initiative gegen internationale Isolierung  (IgiI, initative against international isolation), created as a constructive reaction to EU sanctions against Austria. 

The first cAIR: cAIR10 was held in Graz, Austria from 7 to 10 April 2010. Fifty project summaries were submitted, and their authors lived in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, United Arab Emirates, the UK and the USA. Most of these countries were also represented at the conference. The conference was financially supported by:

Future Fund of the Republic of Austria	City of Graz	Federal Ministry of Research (Austria)
Province of Styria	University of Graz	K. D. Brühl and sons