Canadian Islamic Schools


Book Description

Religious schooling in Canada has been a controversial subject since the secularization of the public school system, but there has been little scholarship on Islamic education. In this ethnographic study of four full-time Islamic schools, Jasmin Zine explores the social, pedagogical, and ideological functions of these alternative, and religiously-based educational institutions. Based on eighteen months of fieldwork and interviews with forty-nine participants, Canadian Islamic Schools provides significant insight into the role and function that Islamic schools have in Diasporic, Canadian, educational, and gender-related contexts. Discussing issues of cultural preservation, multiculturalism, secularization, and assimiliation, Zine considers pertinent topics such as the Eurocentricism of Canada's public schools and the social reproduction of Islamic identity. She further examines the politics of piety, veiling, and gender segregation paying particular attention to the ways in which gendered identities are constructed within the practices of Islamic schools and how these narratives shape and inform the negotiation of gender roles among both boys and girls. A fascinating and informative study of religious-based education, Canadian Islamic Schools is essential reading for educators, sociologists, as well as those interested in Immigration and Diaspora Studies.




Religion and Schooling in Canada


Book Description

Christian organizations have always played a large role in Canadian education. By 1949, five provinces had constitutionally protected denominational schools. The federal government’s responsibility for the education of Indigenous Peoples was effectively contracted out to the churches for more than a century, resulting in a history of abuse that has only recently come to light. From the 1950s to the 1970s, several initiatives in different provinces set the stage for significant reforms to education. Some of these tested the limits of denominational protections, but could not shake the underlying constitutional structures. Patriation of the Constitution and adoption of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982 codified fundamental changes in thinking about civil rights. The Charter allowed existing denominational rights to be challenged on many fronts. However, all such challenges were rebuffed by the courts on the grounds that the Charter cannot be used to override other parts of the Constitution. By the 1990s, it became apparent that another route to reform was available, through the amending formula. Constitutional amendments were used to end denominational control of schools in Newfoundland and Quebec in 1997 and 1998. The circumstances around those constitutional amendments are discussed in detail as possible precedents for similar outcomes in Alberta, Ontario, and Saskatchewan. This book contends that change will certainly come to these provinces and several paths to reform are explored. This reform aims to remove the discrimination inherent in denominational institutions while preserving some form of religious involvement in certain schools.




Making the Case


Book Description

A principal forbids same-sex prom dates. A community group tries to prohibit gender-neutral bathrooms. Despite growing acceptance of 2SLGBTQ+ rights, schools still regularly become battlegrounds in clashes between the expression of gender or sexual identity and a perceived threat to religious identity or values. Making the Case explains the position of Canadian law. It demonstrates that Canadians have rights to both religion and rights to gender expression or sexual orientation. It then provides evidence from case law to show that sexual minority rights do not undermine rights to religious freedom. This book is an important tool for anyone working to create an inclusive school environment or respond to rights-based conflicts within the school system.




Sociology of Education in Canada,


Book Description

Sociology of Education in Canada utilizes a contemporary theoretical focus to analyze how education in Canada is affected by pre-existing and persistent inequalities among members of society. It presents the historical and cultural factors that have shaped our current education system, examines the larger social trends that have contributed to present problems, discusses the various interest groups involved, and analyzes the larger social discourses that influence any discussion of these issues. To achieve this, Karen Robson uses many current, topical, and relatable issues in Canadian education to ensure that readers fully comprehend the information being presented and leave with an appreciation of how the sociology of education is inextricably linked to issues of stratification.




Issues in Religion and Education


Book Description

Issues in Religion and Education, Whose Religion? is a contribution to the dynamic and evolving global debates about the role of religion in public education. This volume provides a cross-section of the debates over religion, its role in public education and the theoretical and political conundrums associated with resolutions. The chapters reflect the contested nature of the role of religion in public education around the world and explore some of the issues mentioned from perspectives reflecting the diverse contexts in which the authors are situated. The differences among the chapters reflect some of the particular ways in which various jurisdictions have come to see the problem and how they have addressed religious diversity in public education in the context of their own histories and politics. Contributors are: Lori G. Beaman, Catherine Byrne, Christine L. Cusack, Adam Dinham, Lauren L. Forbes, Stéphanie Gravel, Bruce Grelle, Mathew Guest, Anna Halafoff, Kim Lam, Solange Lefebvre, Alison Mawhinney, Damon Mayrl, Asha Mukherjee, Heather Shipley, Sonia Sikka, Geir Skeie, Leo Van Arragon and Pamela Dickey Young.




Religion and Canadian Party Politics


Book Description

Religion is usually thought of as inconsequential to contemporary Canadian politics. Religion and Canadian Party Politics takes a hard look at just how much influence faith continues to have in federal, provincial, and territorial political arenas. Drawing on case studies from across the country, this book explores three important axes of religiously based contention in Canada. Early on, there were the denominational distinctions between Catholics and Protestants that shaped party oppositions. Since the 1960s, a newly politicized divide opened between religious conservatives and political reformers. Then from the 1990s on, sporadic controversy has centred on the recognition of non-Christian religious minority rights. Although the extent of partisan engagement with each of these sources of conflict has varied across time and region, this book shows that religion still matters in shaping party politics . This detailed look at the play of religiously based conflict and accommodation in Canada fills a large gap and pulls us back from overly simplified comparisons with the United States. More broadly, this book also compares the role of faith in politics in Canada to that of other Western industrialized societies.




Religion and Canadian Society


Book Description

This text offers an outstanding selection of readings that represent an overview of the key issues in the sociology of religion from a uniquely Canadian perspective. Masterfully planned and united by clearly articulated themes, the second edition moves through three thematic cornerstones: contexts, identities, and strategies. Recurring sub-themes include the definition of religion, the secularization debate, the challenge of diversity, and the gendered aspects of religious experience. Key additions to this edition include a discussion on cultural diversity, an exploration of religion and sexuality, and a thorough historical overview of religion in Canada.




Studies in Religion and Education


Book Description

First published in 1984. John M. Hull was a leading figure in the controversies which had surrounded religious education since the late 1960s. This book brings together in one volume 21 of his published papers and articles, which had previously appeared in journals, conferences, reports and books in Belgium, Australia, Canada, the United States, as well as the United Kingdom. This book is essential reading for all teachers, clergy, parents and students seriously concerned with the issues confronting religious education and Christian upbringing in our secular and pluralist world.




Exploring Religion and Diversity in Canada


Book Description

This book is intended for advanced undergraduate and graduate students interested in learning about the many ways in which religious diversity is manifest in day-to-day life Canada. Each chapter addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with religious diversity in a different realm of social life from families to churches, from education to health care, and from Muslims to atheists. The contributors present key concepts, relevant statistical data and real-life stories from qualitative data. The content of the book is supplemented by links to online learning resources including videos, websites and photo essays.




Religion and Family Life


Book Description

There has been increased interest among scholars in recent decades focused on the intersection of family and religion. Yet, there is still much that is not well-understood in this area. This aim of this special issue is to further explore the influence of religion on family life. In particular, this issue includes a collection of studies from leading scholars on religion and family life that focus on ways in which religion and spirituality may influence various aspects of family life including family processes, family structure, family formation, family dissolution, parenting, and family relationships. The studies included incorporate both qualitative and quantitative analyses, incorporate a number of different religious traditions, focus on religiosity among both adults and youth, and explore a number of important issues such as depression, intimacy, sexual behavior, lying, divorce, and faith transmission.




Recent Books