Annegret Warth is an educational scientist focusing on international comparative youth and youth welfare research. Currently, she is in the final stage of her PhD in educational studies at Helmut Schmidt University in Hamburg. In her doctoral thesis she is exploring heterogeneous manifestations of youth in Turkey by combining generational, transitional, and youth culture perspectives. Prior to that, she worked as a project leader of the German national network “Research and Practice in Dialogue” fostering innovation in youth exchange and as a research and teaching fellow at the Goethe University of Frankfurt.

In the last 10 years, Warth has been active at the intersection of research and practice in the field of youth work and youth exchange with a focus on Turkey. She is active as a consultant for stakeholders of youth exchange including the German-Turkish Youth Bridge, the International Youth Service of the Federal Republic of Germany (IJAB), and Stiftung Mercator. From 2008 to 2010 she worked as a youth worker and project coordinator at the Centre for Civil Society Studies at Istanbul Bilgi University.

Warth studied Educational Studies at the University of Tübingen, University of Marburg, and Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. During her studies she focused on non-formal education, sociology, and peace and conflict studies.

Project: “Municipalities as actors of youth exchange: An exemplary case analysis of youth work and local governance structures in Turkey”

Youth exchanges between Germany and Turkey aim to create intercultural encounters, new views, and solidarity between young people. In times of challenge and crisis in political relations, youth exchange can serve as an important tool to maintain exchange and dialogue between young citizens and institutional cooperation between Germany and Turkey. While youth work institutions in Turkey are central partners in youth exchange between Germany and Turkey, the role of municipalities and local networks in youth exchange has not yet been thoroughly explored.

Using approaches in international youth research and political science, this project will explore how municipalities and local networks can support the internationalization of local youth work organizations. By establishing a dialogue with researchers, policy makers, local, national, and international stakeholders, this research will examine sustainable methods to provide further support to youth exchanges between Germany and Turkey.