The neglect of faith and religious diversity within educational practices poses a significant challenge in fostering inclusive learning environments. The current educational landscape often overlooks the profound impact of religion on individuals' identities and beliefs, leading to a lack of understanding and appreciation for diverse faith perspectives. This omission limits the potential for meaningful dialogue and hinders the development of equitable educational spaces. The Role of Faith and Religious Diversity in Educational Practices, edited by Jason DeHart, offers a compelling solution to address this critical issue. This transformative book explores the intersections between faith and educational practices, drawing on research-based narratives and studies to illuminate the implications of policy and practice through a faith-based lens. By embracing a broad definition of religion and faith, it fosters diverse perspectives and encourages critical reflection on the importance of religious diversity in education. Through practical insights and evidence-based guidance, this book empowers researchers and educators to create inclusive spaces for faith-related discussions and develop policies that honor and respect religious identities. By engaging with this book, scholars and educators can take tangible steps toward cultivating inclusive and enriching learning environments that value and celebrate the diverse religious perspectives of all students.

Religion is a prominent legal force despite the premise constructed and promoted by Western constitutionalism that it must be separated from the State in democracies. Education constitutes an area of human life that leaves ample scope for the expression of religious identity and shapes the citizens of the future. It is also the place of origin of a considerable number of normative conflicts involving religious identity that arise today in multicultural settings. The book deals with the interplay of law and religion in education through the versatility of religious law and legal pluralism, as well as religion’s possible adaptation and reconciliation with modernity, in order to consider and reflect on normative conflicts. It adopts the angle of the constitutional dimension of religion narrated in a comparative perspective and critically reflects on regulatory attempts by the State and the international community to promote new ways of living together.

This volume features chapters by international experts in education, sociology, and theology who consider a range of challenges faced by educators in primary and secondary schools that are becoming increasingly diverse in terms of the ethnic and religious backgrounds of pupils. From the non-religious, to the refugee, to student fundamentalism and even radicalization—these multiple, fresh approaches analyze the dynamics of the changing pedagogical landscape in an age of ever increasing globalization and cultural plurality. Today’s classrooms are often the most crucial spaces where children and adolescents encounter new cultural, religious, and other worldviews. Increasingly, teachers are called on to empower their pupils with the tools and competencies necessary to reflect on and process this plurality in ways that are productive for their intellectual growth and moral maturation. Regional case studies provide extensive data while offering insights into developments in school settings across Europe, in Turkey, and in the United States. In addition, a number of the contributions address the delivery, content, and policies of Islamic Religious Education in European contexts, the educational strategies employed in multi-religious societies, and interreligious dialogue in schools, whether intentional or spontaneous.

Although we often assume religion is in decline in the West, it continues to have an important yet contested role in individual lives and in society at large. And after half a century in which religion and belief were barely talked about in the public sphere, we face a pressing lack of religious literacy. Many are now ill-equipped to engage with religion and belief when they encounter them in their daily lives--in relationships, law, media, professions, business, and politics, among other venues. This valuable book is the first to bring together theory and policy with analysis and expertise to explore what religious literacy is, why it is needed, and what might be done about it. Its contributors make the case for a public realm that is well-equipped to engage with the plurality and pervasiveness of religion and belief, whatever an individual participant's own stance. It will be of great importance to academics, policy makers, and practitioners interested in the manifold implications of the continued presence of religion and belief in the public sphere.

What kinds of process of negotiation are involved in teaching and studying Islam in a modern liberal context? How can the common aims attached to liberal religious education in contemporary European multicultural societies be pursued in single-faith education? This book contributes to the search for legitimate and successful forms of religious education by presenting results from a case study examining Islamic education in Finnish schools. Finnish Islamic education, in which students study their own religion with aims drawn from the liberal educational paradigm, offers a space for negotiating liberal educational values in an Islamic framework and negotiating Islam in its many contexts. The findings demonstrate the possibilities as well as challenges in educating for autonomy, tolerance and citizenship through religion. The book also gives insights into students' negotiations on diversity and tolerance that are important for all involved in any form of multicultural education. These negotiations bring out distinct challenges in dealing with interreligious, intrareligious and cultural differences, and demonstrate how different understandings of tolerance in different ideological frameworks can cause confusion among students. The results lead to a discussion of the educational needs of Muslim students in contemporary Western societies and the competencies their teachers need.

The Virgin Islands are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea that are divided between the United States and the United Kingdom. The U.S. Virgin Islands include St. Thomas, St. John, and St. Croix, while the British Virgin Islands consist of Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, and Jost Van Dyke. The islands have a tropical climate with warm temperatures throughout the year and are known for their beautiful beaches, crystal-clear waters, and lush vegetation. The Virgin Islands are also known for their rich history, including the settlement of the islands by Arawak and Carib peoples, the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493, and the establishment of sugar plantations that brought enslaved Africans to the islands. Today, the Virgin Islands are a popular tourist destination, attracting visitors from around the world who come to enjoy the beaches, water sports, and other outdoor activities.

While religion can be a source of healing, peace, and reconciliation, it can also be a trigger, if not an underlying cause, for conflict between peoples of varying beliefs. With that awareness, the International Academy of Practical Theology convened its 2007 meeting around the theme of "Religion, Diversity, and Conflict." From the multiple seminars, lectures, and studies presented at that meeting, a selection was chosen for this book. Representing contributions from four continents, and drawing upon perspectives from African traditional religions, Judaism, Islam, and Christianity, the book offers a rich introduction to the problems and promises of religion in dialogue with 21st-century diversity. Religion, Diversity and Conflict will serve as a veritable primer on the field of practical theology. (Series: International Practical Theology - Vol. 15)

There has been an increasing issue in STEM education as many students lack interest and knowledge in STEM disciplines and fields. Given the high demand for STEM workers, and the projected growth of STEM fields, it is important to expose students to STEM education beginning as early as elementary school. Some K-6 programs are not preparing teacher candidates adequately for STEM content or skills, especially in engineering. Integrating these disciplines and practices throughout elementary education programs could result in more exposure for K-6 students. Using STEM-Focused Teacher Preparation Programs to Reimagine Elementary Education presents anecdotal stories of how elementary education programs have altered their content offerings, field experiences, and curricula to expand their teacher candidates’ knowledge and exposure to STEM disciplines and fields. Covering key topics such as diversity, teacher education, and technology integration, this premier reference source is ideal for industry professionals, policymakers, administrators of K-12 education, pre-service teachers, teacher educators, researchers, scholars, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.

The Politics and Practice of Religious Diversity engages with one of the most characteristic features of modern society. An increasingly prominent and potentially contentious phenomenon, religious diversity is intimately associated with contemporary issues such as migration, human rights, social cohesion, socio-cultural pluralisation, political jurisdiction, globalisation, and reactionary belief systems. This edited collection of specially-commissioned chapters provides an unrivalled geographical coverage and multidisciplinary treatment of the socio-political processes and institutional practices provoked by, and associated with, religious diversity. Alongside chapters treating religious diversity in the ‘BRIC’ countries of Brazil, Russia, India and China, are contributions which discuss Australia, Finland, Mexico, South Africa, the UK, and the United States. This book provides an accessible, distinctive and timely treatment of a topic which is inextricably linked with modern society’s progressively diverse and global trajectory. Written and structured as an accessible volume for the student reader, this book is of immediate interest to both academics and laypersons working in mainstream and political sociology, sociology of religion, human geography, politics, area studies, migration studies and religious studies.

Presents research and statistics, case studies and best practices, policies and programs at pre- and post-secondary levels. Prebub price $535.00 valid to 21.07.12, then $595.00.