Social transformational processes of individualization and pluralization represent a central challenge for religious education. In the framework of the research platform RaT two essential subjects will be discussed in the cluster “Religious education in context of transformation processes”:

1) Numerous desiderata still remain with regard to the empirical investigation of interreligious learning. For example, an empirical validated model of interreligious competency as well as empirical studies concerning interreligious learning in plural or largely secularized contexts are still missing. Particular interest is attributed to the question regarding the role religious education plays in integration processes. On the one hand, the research activity on interreligious learning focuses on the exemplary case of Vienna; on the other hand, it embraces other transnational studies.

2) Furthermore, the comparative investigation on religious education in Europe, which is already established at the research platform, shall be continued. Due to the volumes of “Religious Education at Schools in Europe” an excellent data base for continuative comparative research on different facets of religious education in Europe (e.g., education of teachers of religion, religious education in the area of conflict between state and church/religious communities) is provided. Basically, the contributions to the cluster “Religious education in context of transformation processes” give an input to the educational goals of plurality capacity, which is, at the same time, an important aspect of religious education within the area of conflict between society and religion. Therefore, this cluster establishes not only diverse possibilities of third-party funding, but also in the sense of “Third Mission”.

3) Based on empirical research on religious learning and cross-national comparative studies on the development of institutionalized religious life forms it is necessary to enhance trendsetting models for religious education as part of general education at school through an interdisciplinary dialogue (philosophy, educational sciences, theology).

Individuals and institutions contributing to this cluster

• Speaker: Martin Rothgangel, Department of Religious Education
• Handan Aksünger-Kizil, Department of Islamic-Theological Studies
• Ednan Aslan, Department of Islamic-Theological Studies
• Sabine Hermisson, Department of Religious Education
• Andrea Lehner-Hartmann, Department of Practical Theology
• Zekirija Sejdini, Department of Islamic-Theological Studies

• EIOM-Project: The impact of the image of islam as conveyed by the media on the religious orientation of Muslim pupils in Austria (Univ.-Prof. Dr. Ednan Aslan & Univ.-Prof. Dr. Erol Yildiz).
• Planned publication: Special Issue JRAT with the title "Transformation in and through Religious Education".
• Ednan Aslan, Marcia Hermansen (Eds.). Religious Diversity at School: Educating for New Pluralistic Contexts, Springer Verlag.
• Prävention von Abwertungs-Ideologien, Radikalisierung und Extremismus im schulischen und pädagogischen Umfeld (Rüdiger Lohlker)
• Religious Education at Schools in Europe. Part 1: Central Europe. (gem. hrsg. mit Martin Jäggle und Geir Skeie) (Wiener Forum für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft; Band 10.1), Göttingen: V&R unipress.
• Religious Education at Schools in Europe. Part 2: Western Europe. (gem. hrsg. mit Martin Jäggle und Robert Jackson) (Wiener Forum für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft; Band 10.2), Göttingen: V&Runipress.
• Religious Education at Schools in Europe. Part 3: Northern Europe. (gem. hrsg. mit Martin Jäggle und Geir Skeie) (Wiener Forum für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft; Band 10.3), Göttingen: V&R unipress.
• Religious Education at Schools in Europe. Part 4: Eastern Europe. (eds.: Rothgangel, M., Danilovich, Y. & Jäggle, M.) (Wiener Forum für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft; Band 10.4), Göttingen: V&R unipress.
• Religious Education at Schools in Europe. Part 5: South Eastern Europe. (eds.: Rothgangel, M., Aslan, E., & Jäggle, M. () (Wiener Forum für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft; Band 10.5), Göttingen: V&R unipress.
• Religious Education at Schools in Europe. Part 6: Southern Europe. (eds.: Rothgangel, M., Rechenmacher, D., & Jäggle, M.) (Wiener Forum für Theologie und Religionswissenschaft; Band 10.6), Göttingen: V&R unipress.