Religion as a Key Competence of a Global Citizen … as a Key Competence of a Global Citizen...
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Religion as a Key Competence of a Global Citizen Religious Education as a Place for Political Becoming a Global Citizen 5th - 7th of October, 2011 Hanasaari, Finland Saila Poulter
Transcript of Religion as a Key Competence of a Global Citizen … as a Key Competence of a Global Citizen...
Religion as a Key Competence of
a Global Citizen
Religious Education as a Place for Political
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
The Aim of the Workshop 2:
Religion in post-national and post-secular
contexts:
Religion forming identities of citizens
- A competence: knowledge and skills?
Religious education: A place to become
political?
- A historical overview
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Key Questions:
• Religion: Public or private issue in
education?
• Religious education as a form of
citizenship education?
• Can tradition-based teaching be a
base for a global citizenship?
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Religion in Public Sphere:
Conflict or Cooperation?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/nov/03/italy-classroom-crucifixes-human-
rights
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Is this the way to go?
• http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/42-28134578/france-niqab-ban-law-in-effect
22 September 2011 France imposes first niqab fines http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15013383
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Citizenship and Religious Education in
Finland:
A Historical Analysis of a Current Political Theme
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
“FROM CITIZENSHIP OF GOD’S
KINGDOM
TO GLOBAL CITIZENSHIP”
• One hundred years of Finnish state school
history
1908 2004
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 1900
”May the day come late that in Finnish schools
Godly control has been dismissed - - Above every
door of a school should stand in golden letters: Here
children are brought into God’s
Kingdom.”(Virkkunen 1909, 19)
THE ROLE OF RE
IN CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
RE serves the interest of the State and the Church:
To create the religious and moral life of children
A GOOD CITIZEN
Citizenship as a religious-moral entity:
A good citizen is a good Finnish Lutheran
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 1920
”Similarly, the correct relationship with God is likely to
create unity also between people. It makes a man feel
responsible for others, teaches about serving love, and
makes him see the community as a law of God, to be
obeyed.In this way, Christianity also secures civic life.”
(Haavio 1950, 19)
THE ROLE OF
RE IN
CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
The aim of RE is to create a religious-moral mind that is
bound to the nation state
A GOOD
CITIZEN
A good Christian is a good citizen
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 1940
”Due to the civic importance of RE ,it should not ne
dismissed in citizenship education.”(KOPS 1952, 64
– 65)
THE ROLE OF RE
IN CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
Religious values benefit the good of the society
RE provides religion-based ethical elements for
citizenship education
A GOOD CITIZEN
A morally autonomous person who receives support
from religion in order to be a good citizen
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 1970
”In this way, RE in a broad context is continously
connected to the background of a student and his
personal development as well as to other aspects
including school life as a whole, different cultural
and societal phenomena – and also the problems of
all of humanity.” (Tamminen & Laulikki 1982, 57)
THE ROLE OF RE
IN CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
RE supports the Christian-Humanistic value basis of
society:
To teach love of humanity
A GOOD CITIZEN
An ethical, responsible citizen motivated by the Golden
Rule
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 1980
”It is for the benefit of a pluralistic and multi-
religious society if its members are capable of
understand ingthemselves and also people who
think differently. This kind of education is a civic
duty of RE.” (Niemi 1991, 50)
THE ROLE OF RE
IN CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
RE offers elements for personal development and
to increase ethical responsibility of fellow citizens:
To become a subject is to become a member of a
society
A GOOD CITIZEN
A self-aware citizen who understands the pluralistic
nature of society.
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 1990
”It (RE) helps pupils to embrace and assimilate the
core values and norms that are central for the
society to function; doing so increases the cohesion
of society.”(Pyysiäinen 1998, 91)
THE ROLE OF RE
IN CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
RE offers cultural & societal knowledge and
provide elements for ethical development
A GOOD CITIZEN
An individual who is capable of working in a pluralistic
society and in an ethical and responsible manner
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
THE CIVIC ROLE OF RE 2000
”RE as a school subject gives opportunities to study and understand the meaning of different values in society and to develop the capacity of children to be members of society as active citizens.” (Kallioniemi 2005, 67)
THE ROLE OF RE
IN CITIZENSHIP
EDUCATION
RE has an important role in providing cultural and
moral education.
RE can help a child to integrate into the local and
global community
A GOOD CITIZEN
A global citizen with a strong identity who understands
the civic and ethical dimensions of religions
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Reflections
• Notion of citizenship: Merely a secular term?
• A shift from collective Christian morals to
individual ethics
– ”personalization of citizenship”
• Global dimension: love before obedience, love
towards humanity
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Conclusions
• Public education: Does it recognize
personal value bases as a foundations of
citizenship?
• Religious education as a mediator
between ’private’ and ’public’
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
Themes to Discuss:
1) Religion: What makes it political? – School as a public space: visibility or invisibility?
– What makes religion public/private?
– Inclusion/ exclusion
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
2) Religion as ’a Key Competence’
–Knowledge and skills…and something more?
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
3) Can tradition-based teaching offer
a base for a global citizenship?
– Religious education as a form of
citizenship education?
– Religion vs. critical thinking
– Post-colonial criticism
Becoming a Global Citizen
5th - 7th of October, 2011
Hanasaari, Finland
Saila Poulter
BIBLIOGRAPHY Arthur, J., Gearon, L. & Sears. A. 2010. Education, Politics and Religion. Reconciling the Civil and the Sacred in Education. London & New York: Routledge. Bayman, Z. 1997: Postmodernity and its discontents. New York: New York University press. Beck, J. 1998. Morality and Citizenship in Education. London: Cassel. Gearon, L. 2009. Religious Education and Citizenship: Guidance for Teachers. St. Gabriel’s Trust. Jackson, R. (ed.) 2003. International Perspectives on Citizenship, Education and Religious Diversity. London, RoutledgeFalmer. Jackson, R. 2010. Religious Diversity and Education for Democratic Citizenship: The Contribution of the Council of Europe. In Engerbretson, K. , de Souza, M., Durka G. & Gearon, L. (eds.) International Handbook of Inter-religious Education 4. Springer: Chicago, 1121–1149. National Curriculum of England. 2004. http://curriculum.qcda.gov.uk/ Papastephanou, M. 2008. Religious education for political thinking and citizenship. Journal of Beliefs & Values. Vol. 29, No. 2, 125–137. Riitaoja, A-L, Poulter, S. & Kuusisto. A. 2010. Worldviews ans Multicultural education in the Finnish Context – A Critical Philosophical Approach to Theory and Practices. Finnish Journal of Ethnicity and Migration. Vol. 5: 3, 87–95. Tarrant, J. M. 1989. Democracy and Education. Avebury. Tobler. J. 2003. Learning the Difference. Religion, Education, Citizenship and Gendered Subjectivity. In Jackson, R. (ed.) International Perspectives on Citizenship, Education and Religious Diversity. London : RoutledgeFalmer, 2003, 125–144. Watson, J. 2004. Educating for citizenship – the emerging relationship between religious education and citizenship education. British Journal of Religious Education. 26 (3), 260–271.
