Negotiations on Religion: Young peoples' articulations on religion in a diverse society

• As flows of people are more common than ever in our times, challenges are put on individuals to put up with a complexity of ideas, values and lifestyles (Castells, 1997). This also means that identities are challenged and has to be negotiated, for many in new surroundings with new traditions, cultures, religions and languages. The concept of negotiation can be used to underline the dynamic processes in constructing linkages between traditions and individuality (cf Østberg, 2003; von Brömssen, 2003). In this paper I will focus discursive constructions and negotiations on 'religion' articulated by three young people age 14 and 15 in Sweden; two boys who position themselves as Muslims and one girl from the Buddhist tradition. The data has been constructed in individual interviews and analyzed from a discourse theoretical approach (Wetherell, Taylor & Yates, 2001). The research suggests that young people do intensive "identity work" (cf Ziehe, 1993) and articulate reflexive knowledge about cultural and religious pluralism, but also that this requires an advanced translational capacity. It also shows, albeit with some variations, that religion as a source of identity is apparent for many young people. This work links to a research proposal on work in a South-North perspective on issues on young people, religion, teaching and education as well as the conference theme "Education in an era of decolonization and transformation".

Ämnesord

HUMANIORA  -- Filosofi, etik och religion -- Religionsvetenskap (hsv//swe)

HUMANITIES  -- Philosophy, Ethics and Religion -- Religious Studies (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

diversity

religion

youth

negotiations

discourses

’identity-work’

Utbildningsvetenskap

Educational science

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)