Introduction of Islamic Religious Education in Germany and Resulting Issues

ドイツ　ニ　オケル　イスラーム　シュウキョウ　キョウイク　ノ　テンカイ　ト　ソノ　シャカイテキ　ハイケイ　ニ　カンスル　イチコウサツ

Yamane, Emi

Horie, Emi

オオサカ ダイガク ダイガクイン ニンゲン カガク ケンキュウカ キョウイクガクケイ

Department of Education, Graduate School of Human Sciences, Osaka University

This paper aims to clarify the changing circumstances surrounding Islamic religious education (RE) in German public schools. RE is offered as a regular subject in German state schools pursuant to Article 7, Paragraph 3 of the German Constitution. Islamic RE had been introduced as a regular school subject; however, it was unsuccessful. Nevertheless, it has been introduced recently in some German states at the request of Muslims and as a means to assist in the integration of Muslim migrants into German society. Many German states have attempted to address this challenge of introducing Islamic RE by collaborating with Muslim associations, developing their own curriculum, or setting up teacher training courses at the university level. Two types of Islamic education have developed: learning about Islam from the perspective of academic religious studies (i.e., non-denominational education) and denominational religious education. Islamic education aims not only to provide Muslim children with an opportunity to study Islam and thus to maintain equal rights with Christians, but also to nurture “democratic” Muslims and steer them away from Islamic extremism. The inclusion of this education in school curriculums is seen to serve two purposes: the integration of Muslim migrants into German society, and a way to address security concerns. However, dividing Muslim migrants into “democratic” and “nondemocratic” categories is an arbitrary dichotomization. This paper demonstrates that, although Islam may be recognized superficially through the introduction of Islamic education in schools, Muslims are also stigmatized as a security risk, and a clearly asymmetric relationship between the Christian majority and the Muslim minority remains.