Volker Mehringer

Volker Mehringer is a Researcher at the University of Augsburg, affiliated with the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and the Pedagogy | Social Pedagogical Research department. His work focuses on Toy and Play Research, Play Pedagogy, and Empirical Educational Research, particularly in Intercultural Education and Gender and Diversity Studies.

• Research Projects: Socialization and Acculturation of Primary School Children with Migration Background (SOKKE), Evaluation Research for Municipal Cooperations
• Expert Roles: Board member of the International Toy Research Association (ITRA), German Society for Educational Science (DGfE), and the German Association of the Toy Industry (DVSI)

Recent Publications explore Diversity in Toy Catalogs, Gender Stereotypes in Play Materials, and Emotional Dynamics in Board Games. His 2025 works address Digital Play and Inclusive Toy Design, while earlier studies analyze Family-Based Toy Selection and Intercultural Socialization.

Scientific Engagements include press contributions to Deutschlandfunk, dpa, Der Standard, and WDR on topics like Diversity in Toys, Gender Marketing, and Pedagogical Value of Play. He has presented at international conferences, including the Board Game Studies Colloquium and ITRA World Conference.