European Recommendations for Inclusive Religious Education

1. The Challenge of Inclusive Religious Education: European Policy Recommendations, Research and Pedagogy Robert Jackson Warwick Religions and Education Research Unit, UK European Wergeland Centre, Oslo EFTRE Conference: "Challenging RE " Poverty and Social Inclusion as European Issues, Bruges

2. European Commission 2010 • 2010 the European Year for combating poverty and socialexclusion • I will concentrate on: • ‘Working positively to promote socialinclusion’ in relation to religious education • policy development and research at the European level

3. UNESCO Delors Report 1996 • Learning to know, to do, to live together and to be … • Learning to live together : ‘developing an understanding of others and their history, traditions and spiritual values’ • Post 9/11 2001 – Religion in the public sphere – studies of religions for all: a shift in European policy

4. Some Barriers to Inclusion in RE • How can inclusive forms of RE be incorporated into educational systems with ‘confessional’ RE? • Lack of curriculum time – a general problem! The overcrowded curriculum… • Essentialist approaches which can exclude children in class: need for inclusion of diversity within religious traditions – pedagogical issues • Lack of high quality resources • Need for high quality teacher training and in-service training • Need to know what young people actually want

5. Challenging RE: Inclusion and RE in Europe • Council of Europe • OSCE Toledo Guiding Principles • European Research: REDCo • Inclusive pedagogical approaches • Networking and training • Steps towards inclusion

6. Council of Europe • Founded 1949 • 47 member states • Combines project development and political action aims: • To protect human rights, pluralist democracy and the rule of law • To promote awareness and development of Europe’s cultural identity and diversity • To seek solutions to social problems (eg discrimination against minorities, xenophobia, intolerance) – promotes inclusion

7. Policy and Practice: Council of Europe • Intercultural Education and the Challenge of Religious Diversity and Dialogue 2002-2008(DG IV) Ministerial Policy Recommendation 2008; book in English & other languages 2007 • White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue(2008) • European Wergeland Centre (Oslo)(2006 onwards; inauguration May 2009)

8. Intercultural Education and the Challenge of Religious Diversity and Dialogue 2002-08

9. Council of Europe: Cultural argument for inclusion of study of religions • How can the study of religions be brought into public education across different systems? • All should agree that religions are at least part of human culture • Religions could therefore be studied in all states as part of intercultural education • Intercultural education seen as an element of education for democratic citizenship

10. Council of Europe • Intercultural Education & Religious Diversity and Dialogue 2002-2008 • Book in English French, Greek, Norwegian 2007 • Ministerial Policy Recommendation December 2008

11. Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the Dimension of Religions and Non-Religious Convictions within Intercultural Education • Principles • Objectives • Attitudes • Educational Preconditions • Learning Methods • Initial and In-service Teacher Training • Research /Evaluation in Teacher Training • Go to the appendix! • Details of free download on EFTRE website, conference programme/keynote speakers/robert jackson

12. Objectives • developing a tolerant attitude and respect for the right to hold a particular belief… • nurturing a sensitivity to the diversity of religions and non-religious convictions… • promoting communication & dialogue... • providing opportunity to create spaces for dialogue; • addressing sensitive or controversial issues • developing skills of critical evaluation and reflection • combating prejudice and stereotypes • fostering an ability to analyse and interpret impartially

13. Educational Preconditions • sensitivity to the equal dignity of every individual; • recognition of human rights as values • the capacity to put oneself in the place of others in order to establish … mutual trust and understanding…; • co-operative learning in which peoples of all traditions can be included and participate; • provision of a safe learning space to encourage expression without fear of being judged or held to ridicule;

14. Initial and In-service Teacher Training Member states… are requested to: • provide teachers with initial training & CPD • provide the means to acquire rich and varied teaching resources • provide objective and open minded training; • promote education in democracy at all levels; • facilitate exchanges/dialogue between pupils from different backgrounds; • establish positive relationships with parents, local community and religious communities (including visiting places of worship); • include research and evaluation

15. Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE/ODIHR)Toledo Guiding Principles, 2007 • the largest regional security organization formed in 1970s to create a forum for dialogue during the Cold War • security 3 dimensional: politico-military; human; environmental and economic • a standard-setting document on teaching about religions and beliefs in publicly funded schools • publication of the TGPs acknowledged by consensus by the 56 Foreign Ministers of the OSCE

16. Toledo Guiding Principles • Toledo March 07: interdisciplinary and inclusive drafting group – lawyers, academics, educators • Varied faith and non-faith backgrounds

17. Toledo Guiding Principles Toledo Guiding Principles on Teaching about Religions and Beliefs in Public Schools2007 • ‘to contribute to an improved understanding of the world’s increasing religious diversity and the growing presence of religion in the public sphere’ • ‘to assist OSCE participating States in promoting the study and knowledge about religions and beliefs in schools…as a tool to enhance religious freedom and increase tolerance’

18. OSCE/ODIHRToledo Guiding Principles, 2007 Human Rights argument for Teaching about Religions & Beliefs • freedom of religion or belief predicates plurality; • plurality requires tolerance of difference; • tolerance of difference requires at least knowledge and understanding of the beliefs and values of others

19. The Toledo Guiding Principles: Contents • The Human Rights Framework • legal issues in relation to the state • the rights of parents, children, teachers and minorities • Preparing curricula: approaches and concepts • Teacher education • Conclusions and Recommendations

20. The Toledo Guiding Principles • Respect the right to freedom of religion or belief • Cover religions and beliefs • Affirms the role of families and religious/belief organisations • Support inclusiveness – in preparation of curricula/materials, selection of teachers and in classrooms • Advocates state neutrality with regard to religions and beliefs

21. The Toledo Guiding Principles • Support fair and balanced teaching • Recommend curricula reflecting • the historical and contemporary • the global and the local • Advocate sensitivity in representing religions and beliefs • Advocate a school ethos that values diversity • See EFTRE website for url

22. EC Framework 6 REDCo Project 2006-9

23. REDCo findings: views of 14-16s • Strong student support for applying democratic principles in classrooms • Students see the classroom as a potential ‘safe space’ for dialogue • Students want peaceful coexistence based on: • knowledge about each other’s religions and worldviews • sharing common interests /doing things together • Many students with a firm commitment not threatened by dialogue with others/learning about others • But some religious students feel vulnerable

24. Synergy of policy and research • OSCE and CoE policies are supported by REDCo research findings • OSCE’s human rights approach and the Council of Europe’s broad Education for Democratic Citizenship are supported by REDCo findings • REDCo findings show strong student support for democratic principles in school and classroom procedures • See EFTRE website for book details • Need for contextualisation in each country

25. Pedagogies stressing inclusion • Interpretive approach • Warwick UK – representation, interpretation, reflexivity • Dialogical approaches • Leganger-Krogstad - Norway • Weisse et al. – Germany • Ipgrave et al. UK

26. The European Wergeland Centre • Set up to promote the work of the Council of Europe and its Member States in the fields of • intercultural education • human rights education • education for democratic citizenship • religion and education are an aspect of each of the above • Open to all 47 member states of the Council of Europe • Networking: ‘Share and Connect’ – Please join • ‘Are EFTRE interested in cooperating with a summer-school kind of yearly event on religion in education in Europe?’ • Website: www.theewc.org

27. Steps Towards Inclusion • More dialogue with stakeholders (eg religious bodies; education policy makers; professional organisations; public discussion) • European level: CoE Exchanges • Link European policy and national discussions • Incorporating more countries – S. Europe • Improved training: A European qualification in RE? EFTRE to link with EWC? • Networking: European Wergeland Centre – ‘Share and Connect’ – co-operation with EFTRE? • Better resources – EFTRE/EASR collaboration? • Closer links between researchers and teachers – teachers as researchers, action/practitioner research • Developing inclusive pedagogies