Aims

Religions and faith perspectives continue to play an extremely significant role in many societies, influencing people’s values, beliefs, attitudes, experiences and behaviours. They also have a crucial influence on education, often shaping national education systems and the curricula that are taught in schools. This module explores the complex relationship between education, the state and religious interests across a range of societies. The module engages students in understanding key theoretical perspectives on the role of religion in societies, the evaluation of recent controversies surrounding the place of religious interests in state education systems, and the comparative study of religious education (RE) internationally.

Outline Of Syllabus

The module begins with a consideration of some key theoretical perspectives on the role of religion within society (including pluralism, secularism and post-secularism). These perspectives then act as a theoretical framework for evaluating recent controversies surrounding the accommodation or marginalisation of religious interests in state education systems (such as compulsory religious education and collective worship, the teaching of creationism and evolution in schools, and uniform policies that potentially conflict with religious dress codes). The module starts with a consideration of these issues in the UK before studying similar controversies in an international context. The module concludes with a comparative study of approaches to religious education (RE) (confessional, non-confessional and secular) across a range of national contexts. Students are encouraged to engage in debate within the module, applying skills of critical analysis and argumentation, as well as methodologies from comparative education.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

The lecture series will scaffold students’ understanding of key theories concerning the place of religion within society, the background to several controversial issues in the relationship between religion and education, and varying approaches to the provision of RE internationally. Structured debates and discussion in seminars will provide students with the opportunity to critically evaluate arguments and debates surrounding religion and education and to analyse the provision of RE internationally in-depth. Guided independent study will reinforce and extend the understanding developed in lectures and further develop the criticality and application of analytical skills engaged in seminars, as well as providing opportunity for further reflection on students’ own responses to the module material.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

Essay: The essay will allow students to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of key theoretical perspectives on the role of religion in society and to apply these to the evaluation of arguments in recent debates surrounding the accommodation or marginalisation of religion in state education systems.

Oral presentation: The group presentation will offer students the opportunity to apply skills of critical analysis and strategies from comparative education to report on the provision of RE across differing national contexts. It will allow students to demonstrate their understanding of the range of approaches to RE taken internationally, as well as the theoretical underpinnings of these. It will also afford students the opportunity to employ and develop their teamwork and presentation skills.