“Living together with the Other” Education & Religion in a European Context Robert Jackson Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit Coordinating Group for Religious Education in Europe (CoGREE) Conference, Berlin, October 2005

Political and Social Context Events – global and local Sept 11, 2001 in USA Sept 11, 2001 in USA Afghanistan and Iraq wars Afghanistan and Iraq wars Bali, Casablanca, Jakarta, Madrid, London etc Bali, Casablanca, Jakarta, Madrid, London etc Israel/Palestine and other ‘ethnic’ conflicts Israel/Palestine and other ‘ethnic’ conflicts Civil disorder in northern UK towns in 2001 – economic & demographic factors Civil disorder in northern UK towns in 2001 – economic & demographic factors

Context of Late/Post Modernity Traditional plurality Traditional plurality religious and ethnic diversity religious and ethnic diversity stereotyping and boundaries stereotyping and boundaries Modern/postmodern plurality Modern/postmodern plurality instant communication instant communication globalisation globalisation multiple influences on identity multiple influences on identity erosion of cultural boundaries erosion of cultural boundaries responses to relativity and truth responses to relativity and truth Interaction of ‘modern’ and ‘traditional’ plurality Interaction of ‘modern’ and ‘traditional’ plurality

Cultural Discourse ‘Dominant discourse’ reifies cultures - ‘communities’ defined by ethnic and religious identity ‘Dominant discourse’ reifies cultures - ‘communities’ defined by ethnic and religious identity ‘Demotic discourse’- the language of cultural interaction ‘on the ground’ ‘Demotic discourse’- the language of cultural interaction ‘on the ground’ ‘Culture’ as both ‘Culture’ as both a possession of an ethnic or religious ‘community’ a possession of an ethnic or religious ‘community’ a dynamic process relying on personal agency a dynamic process relying on personal agency

Religious Education in England and Wales Agreed Syllabuses Agreed Syllabuses Partnership of teachers, faiths, politicians Partnership of teachers, faiths, politicians National Framework National Framework Informs AS conferences Informs AS conferences A national syllabus? A national syllabus? Towards a National Strategy Towards a National Strategy Teacher training and professional development Teacher training and professional development

National Framework for Religious Education Religious education actively promotes the values of truth, justice, respect for all and care of the environment. It places specific emphasis on: Religious education actively promotes the values of truth, justice, respect for all and care of the environment. It places specific emphasis on: pupils valuing themselves and others pupils valuing themselves and others the role of family and the community in religious belief and activity the role of family and the community in religious belief and activity the celebration of diversity in society through understanding similarities and differences the celebration of diversity in society through understanding similarities and differences sustainable development of the earth sustainable development of the earth Religious education also recognises the changing nature of society, including Religious education also recognises the changing nature of society, including changes in religious practice and expression changes in religious practice and expression and the influence of religion in the local, national and global community and the influence of religion in the local, national and global community

Pedagogy: The Warwick Interpretive Approach Representation of religions and ‘cultures’ showing their diversity Representation of religions and ‘cultures’ showing their diversity individuals, groups, traditions – ‘culture’ debate individuals, groups, traditions – ‘culture’ debate Interpretation Interpretation comparing and contrasting familiar and unfamiliar concepts comparing and contrasting familiar and unfamiliar concepts Reflexivity Reflexivity Pupils relating learning to their own concerns Pupils relating learning to their own concerns constructive criticism at a distance constructive criticism at a distance critique of study methods used critique of study methods used Start anywhere: with examples; with pupils... Start anywhere: with examples; with pupils...

Warwick RE Project: Bridges to Religions Source material is ethnographic studies of children in family and school Source material is ethnographic studies of children in family and school Children in class compare and contrast their concepts, experiences and beliefs Children in class compare and contrast their concepts, experiences and beliefs

Warwick RE Project: Bridges to Religions Texts deal with similarity and difference Texts deal with similarity and difference Diversity of views of children in class is recognised (meat eating, vegetarianism, special diets) Diversity of views of children in class is recognised (meat eating, vegetarianism, special diets)

Interpretation, Dialogue, Reflexivity Students listed questions raised by zakah Students listed questions raised by zakah developed drama pieces out of their questions developed drama pieces out of their questions dramas prompted discussion about situations that poor people can be in dramas prompted discussion about situations that poor people can be in Muslim boy spoke about what zakah meant to him Muslim boy spoke about what zakah meant to him students tried to relate zakah to their own moral and spiritual concerns students tried to relate zakah to their own moral and spiritual concerns

Pedagogy: A Dialogical Approach Ipgrave  Levels of dialogue  Primary (acceptance of plurality)  Secondary (openness to difference )  Tertiary (pupil interaction)  Use of children’s religious language  Provide opportunities for structured dialogue (children's involvement)  Children negotiate viewpoints  Project development  Phase 1 in one school  Phase 2 between schools in Leicester  Phase 3 eBridges project

From eDialogue to Meeting Children from East Sussex and Leicester meet for a residential weekend at Pyke House, Battle, Sussex, December 2003 Children from East Sussex and Leicester meet for a residential weekend at Pyke House, Battle, Sussex, December 2003

How can RE contribute to living together? RE teachers should work with other educators: Council of Europe project ‘intercultural education and the challenge of religious diversity and dialogue’ Council of Europe project ‘intercultural education and the challenge of religious diversity and dialogue’ Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Teaching Tolerance Project (Values Education, Peace Education, Human Rights etc) Oslo Coalition on Freedom of Religion or Belief, Teaching Tolerance Project (Values Education, Peace Education, Human Rights etc) Proliferation of citizenship programmes in Europe Proliferation of citizenship programmes in Europe

Spectrum of Citizenship Education in Europe (McLaughlin 1992) MINIMALMAXIMAL exclusiveinclusive elitistactivist civics edcitizenship ed formalparticipative content ledprocess led knowledge-basedvalues based didacticinteractive transmission interpretation easier more difficult

Religion in Education: a contribution to Dialogue or a factor of Conflict in transforming societies of European Countries (REDCo) 1 University of Hamburg 2 University of Warwick 3 Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes / Sorbonne EPHE 4 Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Free University Amsterdam) 5 University of Stavanger 6 University of Tartu 7 Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität Münster (University of Münster) 8 Deutsches Orient Institut (German Institute for Middle East Studies) 9 Russian Christian Academy for Humanities (St. Petersburg) 10 Universidad de Granada