Religion, Education, Security

Abstract

On first glance the politicization and securitization of religion may seem remote from education. A second look reveals widespread international initiatives aimed at the uses of education precisely for political and security purposes, notably in the countering of terrorism, violent extremism and ideologies opposed to liberal democratic values. This editorial presents a critical framing on how scholars from a range of interrelated disciplines analyze the interface of religion, education and security. The purpose of this Special Issue is thus critically to engage scholars across religious studies and theology, politics and international relations, security and intelligence studies, to explore through empirical evidence and reasoned argument the role here for religion in education. The volume aims to make some ground-breaking cross-disciplinary theoretical advances and methodological innovations not simply to further debate but to provide the tools for asking new questions and opening new pathways and frameworks for exploring the critical interface of religion, education and security.

Digitisation, securitisation, and upbringing: interrelations and emerging questions

“…Educational discourses and practices are seen to have become 'securitised' since the terrorist attacks on the USA in September 2001, at national, European and international levels (Gearon 2015(Gearon , 2019. The extent of securitisation in education leads Gearon to refer to the 'counter-terrorist classroom' (2013) and the 'counter-terrorist campus' (2017abc; 2018).…”

Teaching religion and human security in Africa

“…As we shall elaborate, such a course will enable students to develop or accentuate their consciousness of the interplay between religion and human security in Africa. However, we do acknowledge the concern that teaching such a course might shift the aim and purposes of religious education to the aims and purposes of political and security interests (Gearon 2013(Gearon , 2019. We are convinced that teaching religion and human security in Africa can uphold the basic tenets of religious studies while contributing towards social transformation.…”