Sensitive kontroverser - å navigere i et spenningsfelt En kvalitativ undersøkelse av hvordan et utvalg religionslærere reflekterer rundt sin undervisning i sensitive temaer – med utgangspunkt i skytingen i Oslo 25. juni 2022.

Abstract

The relevance of the study is tied to the increasing importance of schools as an arena for discussing sensitive topics.

I have used qualitative interview with six religious education teachers, four of them at a high school level and two at the junior high school level. The study is based on their experiences, perceptions, and reflections on sensitive topics in religious education. To contextualize my findings, I have implemented theoretical perspectives related to didactics and media representations.

The analysis provides insight in teachers' various strategies and didactic choices that they believe have helped them in navigating around topics they experience as challenging. The study shows that teaching about sensitive themes is complex. Several of the teachers find it challenging for various reasons related to personal factors, practical limitations, and experiences involving students in the classroom. Most of the teachers perceive that media have an influence on students understanding of Islam, and that they must navigate accordingly.

The findings for this study indicate a need for more emphasis on sensitive topics in schools.