International Perspectives on Citizenship, Education and Religious Diversity

Citizenship is high on the agenda of education systems in many of the world's democracies. As yet, however, discussions of citizenship education have neglected issues of religious diversity and how the study of religions can contribute to our understanding of citizenship. International Perspectives on Citizenship, Education and Religious Diversity brings together an international range of contributions from religious studies scholars and educators specialising in the study of religions. Together, these illustrate and explore the key questions for educational theory and pedagogy raised by drawing issues of religious diversity into citizenship education. The chapters address and extend debates over the nature of citizenship in late modernity, highlighting local and global dimensions of citizenship in relation to issues of national, religious, ethnic and cultural identity. As well as emphasising the role religious education has to play in citizenship education, this book also covers wider issues such as state-supported faith schools and cultural diversity in relation to common citizenship. The authors argue that critical, yet reflective, approaches to religious education have a distinctive and valuable contribution to make to citizenship education. Issues addressed within the study of religions are related to new forms of global and cultural citizenship, as well as citizenship within the nation state. Ultimately, this stimulating and original collection highlights the challenges and possibilities for teaching and learning about religion, religions and religious diversity within an inclusive educational practice.

Robert Jackson is Professor of Education and Director of the Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit at the University of Warwick. He has published extensively on religions and education and is Editor-inChief of the British Journal of Religious Education.

Chapter 1 Citizenship, religious and cultural diversity and education, Robert Jackson; Part 1 Issues in citizenship, education and diversity; Chapter 2 Global citizenship, cultural citizenship and world religions in religion education, David Chidester; Chapter 3 Nationalism, religiosity and citizenship in Norwegian majority and minority discourses, Geir Skeie; Chapter 4 Citizenship as a replacement for religious education or RE as complementary to citizenship education?, Robert Jackson; Chapter 5 Cultural diversity and common citizenship, Sissel Østberg; Chapter 6 The good South African citizen, H. Christina Steyn; Chapter 7 Learning the difference, Judy Tobler; Part 2 Dialogue and communication; Chapter 8 Dialogue, citizenship and religious education, Julia Ipgrave; Chapter 9 Dialogue among young citizens in a pluralistic religious education classroom, Heid Leganger-Krogstad; Chapter 10 Difference without discrimination, Wolfram Weisse; Chapter 11 Religious education and citizenship, Lat Blaylock;