How to didactically promote among students of different confessions, the capacity of a critical analysis and understanding of the role played by religions in the history of mankind
Building Students’ Interreligious Competences in Communication
and Adaptation in a Cross-Cultural Environment
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1. Comparing Religious Differences, Prejudices and Stereotypes
In this paragraph the differences between diverse religions will be taken into account. Such differences exist and in some cases they are even quite deep. It is a matter of taking note of them and getting to know them more closely. The comparison requires an intimate knowledge of the essential characteristics of the religion that is considered, and of the way in which it is lived and expressed in a given culture, environment or period. This is the first (and very difficult) step to be taken in order to face the preconceptions that are widespread towards the believers of any religion. Actually, prejudices and stereotypes often depend on:
- Cultural behaviours of individuals and groups and not directly from the theological principles of a given religion
- Wrong understanding or lack of knowledge of that religion by those who are not part of it, but sometimes also by the same followers of that religion.
- In this context it seems appropriate, in relation to the students’ age, to take the following steps:
- Understand and distinguish between a stereotype (a belief based on limited knowledge, which simplifies reality) and a prejudice (a simplified or erroneous belief that often implies a negative judgment); Identify, in the class group, to what extent stereotypes and prejudices are collective (i.e. known and widespread) and/or individual (elaborated by individuals or limited groups).
- Identify what attitudes, behaviours and characteristics refer to stereotypes and prejudices.
- Identify and distinguish what refers to specific religious elements and how much it depends on customs, traditions, and local traditions.
Identify what pertains precisely to religious identity (tendentially stable) and what refers to cultural identity (more easily subject to changes and transformations, especially in a multicultural context and in environments different from those of origin).
Online Resources
- Comparisons between ReligionsSeveral articles on the chapter topics, providing useful material for a comparison of different religions
- Comparisons between ReligionsInteresting contribution on the topic provided by the Council of Europe.
- Comparisons between ReligionsComparative table between the monotheistic religions and the main polytheistic religions.
- U.Eco, religious DifferencesThe section of the site dedicated to religious differences introduced by Umberto Eco highlights the relationship between the common religious feeling and the different religious ceremonies
- Federico Zannoni, Stereotipi e pregiudizi etnici nei pensieri dei bambini - Ricerche di pedagogia e didatticaThe text, by Federico Zannoni, reports the results of research carried out in some primary schools of Emilia-Romagna, which, following a debate-like method, was conducted among children of different cultural and religious origins (in particular: Italy, China, Africa), highlighting the origin and dissemination of stereotypes, prejudices, , the students’ knowledge, their cognitive needs and the skills to focus on.
- Patrizia Vayola,Io,Noi,Voi-Percorsi didattici su identità, pregiudizi e multiculturalitàThe text, by Patrizia Vayola, offers a wide range of cultural and educational references in order to activate paths aimed at reducing prejudices and stereotypes, and developing a more conscious and more open-minded youthful identity to coexistence with one another.
- Chiara Napoli,Riconoscere Stereotipi e PregiudiziChiara Napoli's text introduces a teaching module aimed at identifying stereotypes and prejudices through the analysis and comparison of texts by several medieval authors
- Gianfranco Marini, Stereotipo e PregiudizioThe text, by G.Franco Marini, clearly illustrates the psychological and social aspects of stereotypes and prejudices and their relationship with the creation of a social identity.
- Differenze culturali e religioseThe study identifies similarities and cultural and religious differences, and focuses on the relationship between religious freedom and civil laws
Practical Activity
- Comparing Differences
The activity aims to identify the main differences between practitioners of different religions. In particular the differences between Christians and Muslims are taken into account, regarding:
• Main festivities
• Ways of praying - liturgical and spiritual precepts
• Nutrition precepts (fasting, permissions and bans concerning food)
Data collection among students:
• First step: identification of stereotypes. Possible teaching methods: brainstorming, class debate. Difference between stereotypes and prejudices.
• Second step: identification of elements deriving from direct testimonies and consultation of texts, construction of comparative tables, with illustrative images. Discussion on the distance between the data actually detected and the stereotypes present in the class group.
Discussion on the distance between religious precepts and real practice.
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