"Eleverna lever i en skyddad bubbla här ute" : En kvalitativ studie om hur högstadielärare hanterar kontroversiella frågor i religionskunskap

Sammanfattning

This study examines how lower secondary school teachers experience and handle controversial issues in Religious Education (RE) within a rural school context in Sweden. The study is based on a qualitative method using semi-structured interviews with four RE teachers at the same lower secondary school in a rural area within Norrköping municipality. The findings show that controversial issues in RE are influenced by the social and cultural context in which students are situated. The teachers describe the rural school environment as relatively homogeneous, where limited encounters with cultural and religious diversity may contribute to stereotypical understanding and dominant norms in classroom discussions. Topics related to Islam, immigration, feminism, nationalism and politics are described as issues that often create strong reactions among the students. Social media such as TikTok, is also highlighted as an important factor shaping student attitudes and perspectives. Furthermore, the study highlights the teachers central role in creating a safe and open classroom climate where students can express different perspectives respectfully. The study contributes with insights into how controversial issues in Religious Education can be understood within a rural school context.