Abstract
While religious education has historically been rooted in Swedish national identity, over the last three decades, the diversification of Sweden and the associated conflict it has brought to social cohesion has coincided with a decline in religious education. Previous studies have correlated the diminishing efficacy of religious education in Swedish secondary schools with a concomitant rise in racial animosity nationally. Scholars have observed a variety of markers of decline in religious education itself, including inadequate teacher training, textbooks insensitive to the needs of Sweden’s increasingly diverse population, and pedagogical techniques that limit student discussion. Analyzing the decline of religious education within the context of 21st-century demographic change in Sweden, the conflict between autonomy and pluralism in Swedish educational policy is considered against the backdrop of changes in the secular state to accommodate a multiethnic population. This paper argues that the pedagogical goals of Swedish education require rearticulation appropriate to the global needs and diverse background of the Swedish population.
Presenters
Ivan ChungStudent, Religious Studies, Global Christian Foreign School, Seoul Teugbyeolsi [Seoul-T'ukpyolshi], South Korea
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Vectors of Society and Culture
KEYWORDS
Swedish public education, Racial diversity, Demographic change, Religion
