PROGRAMME AND ABSTRACTS - Università degli Studi di Messina

ABSTRACTS OF PANELS
PANEL 1
Tue 15 th , 9.00-12.00, Classroom 4
Wanda Alberts, University of Bergen, Norway
Tim Jensen, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark
Textbooks and syllabuses for religion education (RE): the notion of
religion and the representation of individual religions
Textbooks for education about religion are often as influential on knowledge about religions as
are the syllabuses or general frameworks for the school subject. In this panel, we would like to
analyse textbooks and syllabuses for (non-confessional) education about religion from different
European countries. We wish to take a closer look at the general notion of religion showing in
implicit or explicit ways in textbooks and syllabuses. Furthermore, we would like to discuss
the representation of individual religions (and other worldviews). According to what kind of
patterns or notion of religion are they represented and which aspects of religion do the
representations focus upon?
9.00 Wanda Alberts The notion of religion in Norwegian syllabuses and
textbooks for RE
9.20 Bodil Liljefors Persson Romanticism, Colonialism and Images of Indigenous
Religions. A Study of Representations of American Indian
Religions in Swedish Textbooks.
9.40 Christofer Bochinger
Katharina Frank
Religion and Values in German Speaking Textbooks
10.00 Mariachiara Giorda L'insegnamento della religione in Italia: temi e problemi
10.20 Discussion
11.00 Tim Jensen The Notion of 'Religion' in Danish National Curricula for
Primary and upper-secondary Public Schools Religion
Education
11.20 Elisabetta Porcu Religions and Media in Japan
11.40 Ingvild S. Gilhus What become of the divine? Superhuman beings in guides
to the history of religions
12.00 Discussion
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