Religious Education in the Mirror of a Life Trajectory: Conference Call for Papers, University of Cape Town

Conference Call for Papers: Religious Education in the Mirror of a Life Trajectory
University of Cape Town
Prof. Abdulkader Tayob
Email: abdulkader.tayob@uct.ac.za

Religious education has become a particularly contentious issue in our times. It is not longer merely the concern of those who wish to ensure the transmission of religious knowledge. Government ministers, policy think-tanks, educators in general, reformers and other public intellectuals have strong views on the merits, demerits, dangers and value of religious education. Some see religious education as the root of all evil, while others see religious education as a panacea. Some are focussed on religion within confessions or traditions, others have thrived on the distinctions between philosophy, critical theory, theology, sensorial sensitivities and ethics in pursuit of the perfect model of religious education in their contexts.

This is a call for papers on the individuals that have engaged with religious education in one way or another. The focus of this conference lies on the full life trajectory of those who have taken a position, changed that position, on religious education in their particular contexts. It could be a study of school teachers, religious leaders, theologians, academics, policy makers, elected officials or government bureaucrats. They should all be concerned or directly involved in teaching religion in their communities, societies, countries or regions.

This approach of focussing on life trajectories appreciates that positions change over time, that there are personal and political struggles involved in the development of a position or syllabus or vision, and that local, regional and global developments are not too far removed from the personal. The conference welcomes a focus on experiments in religious education engaged along the way, further developed or discarded as the case may be.

The proposed conference welcomes papers that approach the life trajectories from a variety of methods and theoretical frameworks. These include anthropological, philosophical, critical theological, literary/textual and historical approaches.

If you would like to participate, please send a clear and comprehensive abstract (1000 words) by 20 November 2015. If your abstract fits in with the general theme of the conference, then an invitation will be sent to you. Unless you can access funds from your University, we offer you an economy class ticket, and will provide boarding and lodging during the duration of the meeting.

Selected Papers will be published in a special issue of a journal or edited volume.