The Image of Religion in Russia: Educational Projects and Construction of Religious Tolerance: Discourse analyses of the current implementation of religious education in Russia in comparative perspective (2009-15)

• Applicant: Dr. Vadim Zhdanov
• Subject Area: Religious Studies and Jewish Studies
• Term: from 2015 to 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 270761288

Vivid debates on the implementation of religious education in Russia have been taking place in all strata of society for more than ten years. After the experimental phase, religious education has become mandatory in all Russian schools since September 2012. This development is of high political sensitivity in so far as religion now affects the general population or at least every family with school children. Even non-religious people have to position themselves concerning the issue of religion.The research project proposed here aims to examine the debates around religious education and its implementation. This will be done in close cooperation with partners from the Vladimir State University, who will complement the present discourse analysis-oriented project (including expert interviews) with empirical sociological research. Two aspects are particularly important for this research project: On the one hand previously neglected regional reception of this process should be investigated. On the other hand besides the Russian Orthodox Church, religious education discourses of Muslims and Buddhists in Russia, which have so far not been sufficiently taken into account, will be studied in a comparative perspective and in relation to Russian Orthodox Church discourses.In the debates about religious education, it is necessary to address attempts of constructing religious tolerance in a religiously plural society (normativity) and the processes of increasing/decreasing differences between confes-sional and secular positions (positionality) on the contribution of the state supported religious education to national identity and citizenship education. With a focus on the normativity and positionality this research project aims to analyse the state, church and social discourses on religious education as well as the discourse on the presence of theology at state educational institutions.The research project seeks to provide a broader religious and political contextualization of religious education and to contribute to a better understanding of the socio-political role of religion in Russian society. The question whether the offering of the new religious education courses is a 'top-down' process or to what extent it meets the social demand as well, is of particular interest for the joint project of the applicant with the project partners in Vla-dimir.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• International Connection: Russia
• Partner Organisation: Russian Foundation for Humanities (RFH)
• Cooperation Partner: Natalia Markova, Ph.D.