Africa is not a country: perceptions of poverty by Christians in Germany

Abstract

This research examines the perception that Christians in Germany have of poverty in Africa and the extent to which this thinking corresponds to a holistic understanding of poverty. The study is examined in the context of development education to develop impulses for global learning. Based on preliminary considerations of learning theory and development theory, an empirical study was conducted among Protestant Christians in Germany who are committed to fighting poverty in Africa. For this purpose, an online survey and eleven semi-standardised guided interviews were conducted on the basis of the theorygenerating method of grounded theory. As a result, the findings were compared with a multidimensional perspective on poverty and development and consequences for holistic Global Learning in Germany were described. In this analysis, it became apparent that the perspective on poverty can change the interviewees lives, making the perspective more holistic. This impact was associated with intensive learning experiences, for instance during travels, biographical experiences or through life reports of third parties. As consequences for Global Learning in Germany, the importance of reflection possibilities for touristic travel providers or church learning offers was derived