‘Religion’ in educational spaces

Abstract

The focus of this article is how 'religion', as a materially heterogeneous concept, becomes mobilized in different educational spaces, and the kinds of knowing to which this gives rise. Three 'case studyish' illustrations are deployed in order to consider how religion and education produce kinds of knowing which may -or may notinvolve knowing well and knowing differently. We argue that it is necessary to attend to both the understanding of religion that is being deployed and the specific educational imaginary within which such knowing takes place. k e y wo r d s difference, educational spaces, imaginary, material practice, metaphor, religion How is it possible to know, know well, and know differently, in contexts conditioned for so long by relations of dominance? (Law and Lin, 2009: 1)

The educational competence of the European Court of Human Rights: judicial pedagogies of religious symbols in classrooms

“…First, legal theory and political philosophy approaches address the legal reasoning itself, notably by reviewing the coherence of the judgment and its implications for case law (e.g. Hunter-Henin, 2011;Temperman, 2012). These raise constitutional issues, about the state's religiosity, neutrality or secularity (e.g.…”

“…Courts around the world have increasingly been required to decide on conflicts between school policies or practices and individuals' religions or beliefs, including the content of religious teaching or education in schools, school admissions criteria, teachers' or pupils' dress, and corporal punishment (e.g. Hunter-Henin, 2011). These issues are often rooted in disputes about conflicting human rights -to education and to freedom of religion and belief -and involve the supranational legislation and judiciary of human rights.…”