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• IRP: Der Beitrag der religiösen Bildung zur Citizenship Education in einer pluralen demokratischen Gesellschaft [The contribution of religious education to citizenship education in a pluralistic democratic society]

  The habilitation project "The contribution of religious education to citizenship education in a pluralistic democratic society: Perspectives of students and teachers on Islamic and Catholic religious education at public schools in Austria" deals with the question of the extent to which Islamic and Catholic religious education in Austria can contribute to citizenship education or democracy education - i.e. to the promotion of democratic awareness and social participation. In view of the increasing spread of competing narratives, problematic attributions, fake news, right-wing populism and religious fundamentalism, the importance of democracy-related education is experiencing a significant revaluation.

  The aim of the study is to identify those dimensions of religious education that act as a social force in the context of the institution of school and meet the requirements of a modern, pluralistic society and its value base. The central research question will be investigated as part of the project: What contribution can Islamic and Catholic religious education in Austria make to citizenship education in a religiously diverse society?

  The project is based on a qualitative research approach, which aims to record the experiences and attitudes of pupils and teachers. As part of the study, a total of around 40 pupils (Catholic/Islamic) and 40 teachers (Catholic/Islamic) will be surveyed in guided interviews.

  The survey of the students aims to record their perceptions of religious education, particularly with regard to the teaching style, group dynamics and discussion culture. Furthermore, their handling of divergent understandings of religion and theological topics is discussed. Furthermore, the students are asked how they perceive politically and socially relevant topics. Another focus is on the students' experiences with interreligious education.

  At the same time, the teachers are interviewed about their teaching approaches and experiences. The guidelines for the interviews are based on various focal points, including the concepts of religious education, such as objectives, teaching style and discussion culture. Furthermore, dealing with divergent understandings of religion and theological topics as well as dealing with politically and socially relevant topics will be researched. A focus is placed on value orientations, practicing basic democratic attitudes and dealing with current discourses and conflicts. The teachers' experiences and attitudes towards interreligious education also play a central role.

  The interviews are evaluated using qualitative content analysis according to Kuckartz.

  The aim of the project is to identify the potentials and challenges of denominational religious education with regard to democracy education. On this basis, impulses for practice and the training of religious education teachers will be derived.

  The project is headed by Dr. Senol Yagdi PhD.

  Project duration: 2024-