ERIC Number: EJ1389981
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0141-6200
EISSN: EISSN-1740-7931
Available Date: N/A
The Convivial Concealment of Religion: Navigating Religious Diversity during Meals in Early Childhood Education -- A Norwegian Case
Iversen, Ragnhild Laird
British Journal of Religious Education, v45 n3 p263-276 2023
How are religiously based eating regulations navigated in kindergarten, and how does the pedagogical context influence the children's understandings of religion and nationality? This article builds on a qualitative case study involving observations and group interviews with children in a Norwegian kindergarten. At mealtimes, some children ate different food than their peers due to religiously based eating regulations. Notably, no children connected these differences to religion. Utilising Paul Gilroy's concept of conviviality, I argue that the staff contribute to a "convivial concealment of religion." Their approach avoids reducing children to their religious background, and facilitates connections based on shared experiences and interests. However, it fails to give children a deeper understanding of religious diversity and does not address problematic aspects of some children's working theories. Thus, convivial concealment may contribute to subtle, but significant, processes of exclusion. The study contributes to discussions of everyday religious diversity in educational settings, coining the term 'convivial concealment of religion' and analysing consequences of this pedagogical practice.
Descriptors: Religious Education, Cultural Pluralism, Food, Citizenship, Concept Formation, Case Studies, Kindergarten, Student Attitudes, Religious Factors, Teacher Student Relationship, Social Isolation, Foreign Countries, Eating Habits, Teaching Methods
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Norway
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A