Religious Education in a Multicultural Europe Children, Parents and Schools

Religion and schooling has become a controversial issue across Europe. But we know little about how these tensions are experienced by children and their families. This groundbreaking book draws on an innovative, comparative study to examine how religious and/or secular beliefs are formed at school and in the family in five countries with very different educational systems (Belgium, Germany, Ireland, Malta, and Scotland). New information on how schools and families influence the development of children's religious identities is presented by placing the experiences of primary school children at the centre of the research, yielding fresh insights into their perspectives on religion and schooling. The book adopts a multidisciplinary perspective, thus providing a more holistic perspective on the processes at play. Importantly, it offers insights into key policy issues concerning the place of religion in the school system, illuminating current debates around religion and multiculturalism across Europe.

Emer Smyth is Research Professor and Head of the Social Research Division at the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), Ireland. She is also an Adjunct Professor, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.
 
Maureen Lyons is a Researcher and a Research Manager for the University College Dublin School of Social Justice, Ireland.
 
Merike Darmody is a Research Officer at the Economic and Social Research Institute, Ireland (ESRI). She is also Adjunct Assistant Professor at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.