Reading Religious Education text books: Islam, liberalism and the limits of Orientalism

Book chapter


Revell, L. 2015. Reading Religious Education text books: Islam, liberalism and the limits of Orientalism. in: Parker, S., Freathy, R. and Francis, L. (ed.) History, Remembrance and Religious Education Oxford Peter Lang.
AuthorsRevell, L.
EditorsParker, S., Freathy, R. and Francis, L.
Abstract

This chapter explores the representation of Islam in 72 RE textbooks published between 1968 and 2012. The analysis of textbooks reveals that contemporary books are often Orientalist and informed by a liberal desire to present Islam and Muslims positively. The tension between these two trends is located in a critique of Orientalism and liberalism. It is argued that Orientalism itself is an essentialised concept and therefore perpetuates many of the features that characterise contemporary expressions of the unequal relationship between East and West. Secondly a liberal interpretation of Islam appears to eradicate most Orientalist markers from textbooks but it serves to impose an interpretation of Islam that is equally as false. The Islam of the media and in the public imagination is not negated by the liberal portrayal of beliefs and in textbooks but reshaped to make it palatable for liberal consumption.

Year2015
Book titleHistory, Remembrance and Religious Education
PublisherPeter Lang
Output statusPublished
Place of publicationOxford
SeriesReligion, Education and Values
ISBN9783034317207
Publication dates
Print10 Apr 2015
Publication process dates
Deposited12 Apr 2016
Related URLhttp://www.peterlang.com/index.cfm?event=cmp.ccc.seitenstruktur.detailseiten&seitentyp=produkt&pk=77024&cid=448
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