The handbook "Deutsch als Fremd- und Zweitsprache" summarizes existing knowledge on acquisition and teaching of the German language in different contexts in altogether 234 articles. It is not only addressed to specialists, but rather makes the subject area accessible for everyone, whose scholarly or practical work has to do with the German language in the context of linguistic and cultural diversity.

Key features: * Handbook with over 200 authors is a comprehensive presentation of the entire field of German as a Foreign Language (worldwide) * Current and interdisciplinary research overview on questions of teaching and learning German (as foreign and second language) * Contains contrastive analyses of German with 30 languages and sheds light on the German language in 56 countries * First-time presentation of the entire area for German as a second language (for Germany, Austria and Switzerland) * Current status of discussion and research on the topic of language and migration