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How do we teach about and into Islam in Flemish and Dutch schools? This is the leading question of this special issue of Religie & Samenleving. Its relevance must be understood against recent societal developments (secularization, increasing religious diversity) as well as against pedagogical-didactical developments about 'teaching about', 'teaching into' and 'teaching from' religion in governmental and non-governmental (denominational) schools. This introductory essay elaborates on the historical and legal background of formal Islamic religious education in Belgium (Flanders) and in the Netherlands. Hereto, we first outline the constitutional frameworks in both countries, in which the provision of government-subsidized religious education should fall. Subsequently, we describe the organization of Islamic religious education, which in the Netherlands is mainly offered at Islamic schools, while in Belgium it is a subject facilitated by the government in official schools. We also show how Catholic schools in Flanders have reflected on a suitable offer for the increasing number of pupils with a Muslim background in these schools. We end our introduction by showing how in recent years, teacher education institutions in both countries have invested in preparing their students for teaching about or in Islam.

How do we teach about and into Islam in Flemish and Dutch schools? This is the leading question of this special issue of Religie & Samenleving. Its relevance must be understood against recent societal developments (secularization, increasing religious diversity) as well as against pedagogical-didactical developments about teaching about, teaching into and teaching from religion in governmental and non-governmental (denominational) schools. This introductory essay elaborates on the historical and legal background of formal Islamic religious education in Belgium (Flanders) and in the Netherlands. Hereto, we first outline the constitutional frameworks in both countries, in which the provision of government-subsidized religious education should fall. Subsequently, we describe the organization of Islamic religious education, which in the Netherlands is mainly offered at Islamic schools, while in Belgium it is a subject facilitated by the government in official schools. We also show how Catholic schools in Flanders have reflected on a suitable offer for the increasing number of pupils with a Muslim background in these schools. We end our introduction by showing how in recent years, teacher education institutions in both countries have invested in preparing their students for teaching about or in Islam.

This chapter starts with a brief elaboration of church-state relations in the Netherlands and the presence of the Muslim community in the country. Subsequently, the Dutch education system is explained: in accordance with freedom of education, education is not the sole prerogative of the state, but also of private (religious) institutions. As a result, education is divided into different “pillars”: in addition to the “neutral” governmental schools, there are also Roman Catholic, Protestant Christian, and “other” non-governmental schools - including Islamic schools - which are all funded by the state. Following this model, IRE is organised in different ways, ranging from “impartial” education about Islam in the primary school subject Spiritual Movements to education in Islam in Islamic schools. These different ways of organising IRE are scrutinised, with particular attention to IRE in Islamic primary schools. Stimulated by recent controversies and pedagogical innovations, the chapter ends with some recent trends and initiatives for improvement.

This chapter reconsiders all the previous chapters, focusing on possible linkages between IRE and Citizenship Education (CE). The conceptions of IRE are characterised according to their exclusivity, inclusivity, and plurality. For CE, the notions “minimal citizenship education” and “maximal citizenship education” are used. Next to an exclusive case and some partially plural cases, the majority of cases could be categorised as inclusive combined with a minimal or maximal conception of CE. In some cases the link with CE is not explicitly addressed. Instead of stating clearly the pedagogical aims of both forms of education, there is quite often a strong emphasis in IRE on the importance of countering terrorism and radicalisation.

This chapter unfolds the place of Islam within the Danish historical development of RE. The Evangelical-Lutheran Church has been state supported since the Reformation in 1536, and state and church have been closely intertwined since the stipulation of mandatory schooling in the early 19th century. The emphasis on Christianity within the school subject Religious Education (in Denmark aptly named Kristendomskundskab, Knowledge of Christianity) has changed throughout the 20th century. In 1975 the subject went from being confessional to academic, though it has in recent decades seen a revival being re-framed as a cultural component of national history. Islam is used alongside Judaism and Buddhism as a means to compare world religions to Christianity, though the culturalisation of Christianity and Islam leads to the creation of a dichotomy where Islam is placed as “the Other” compared to the Danish state and the national Evangelical-Lutheran Church.

In Finland, over 95% of children are educated in governmental primary and secondary schools, where several religions, including Islam, are taught as a part of the school curriculum. However, RE is a knowledge-based subject guided by the general pedagogical aims of governmental schools rather than by the interests of religious communities. During recent decades, the number of pupils attending Islamic RE has been constantly growing, especially in the Helsinki metropolitan area. In this chapter, we look at the way IRE is currently organised in Finland and the challenges that, in our opinion, need to be addressed. The current model of RE in Finland is being hotly debated at present, and the trend seems to be towards general Worldview Education instead of RE. If this were to happen, without doubt, it would have drastic consequences for IRE. acceptedVersion