11/07/2025 14:00
- 17:30
HALL: Small Ceremonial Hall
Proponent:
Uxhi P.
Chair:
Cadeddu F.,
Uxhi P.
Speaker:
Avellino A.,
Cadeddu F.,
Ismaili B.,
Passarelli A.,
Uxhi P.
Over the past three decades, scholars from various disciplines have increasingly identified religious illiteracy as a significant barrier to the development of a cohesive, inclusive and democratic society. This phenomenon goes beyond a simple lack of knowledge about the variety of religious "alphabets"; it is marked by the inability to meaningfully engage with the intricate languages, doctrines and practices of the different religious groups and to bring such an engagement into the public debate. This lack of knowledge and capacity/abilities often results in the perpetuation of stereotypes, misconceptions and prejudices, which, also due to the influence of social media, fuel widespread intolerance and discrimination. Religious illiteracy has garnered particular attention in Europe and North America: in these regions, the academic discourse has largely centred on identifying effective strategies to improve religious literacy, by posing a particular emphasis on religious education in public schools as a crucial starting point for fostering a process of democratic citizenship and social cohesion. However, the issue of religious illiteracy cannot be addressed solely through, for example, a system of teaching about or from religions: it requires a deeper and inter-sectoral analysis.
This panel seeks to critically explore the role of religious illiteracy in European and Northern American history, culture, society and education. The aim is to identify and analyse historical phases, turning points, shifts, reforms, educational approaches, laws, court decisions etc. that had a (decisive) role in generating and enlarging the lack of knowledge and understanding that constitutes religious illiteracy.