Religious Diversity in Public Education: A Comparative European Perspective

Abstract

The chapter begins with the assumption that there is an inherent interest in allowing religious expression in any given society but not just for reasons of respect of individual rights. Beyond, that there are also arguments that the expression of religious rights contributes to the construction of identity, especially and particularly through the medium of public education. In order to make these points, the chapter proceeds a contrario and utilises different understandings of state neutrality as applied in the German and Turkish cases, as well as supra-nationally in Europe to demonstrate the need for a holistic interpretation of religious diversity in education.

Keywords: religious freedom, Germany, Turkey, state neutrality, European Court of Human Rights