From multiculturalism to interculturalism: law, religious teaching and civic/citizenship education in today’s Europe

In Europe, interculturalism rather than multiculturalism is increasingly considered as the key strategy to manage social and cultural diversity related to migration. While it does not deny the importance of cultural diversity, interculturalism nevertheless focuses on social cohesion and shared values. In that regard, the 2008 Council of Europe’s White Paper on Intercultural Dialogue has emphasized two instruments: civic/citizenship education programmes and the introduction of teaching about religions characterized by a non-denominational and plural approach to religious knowledge. Have these pushes been sufficient to bring about some convergence in areas that are traditionally a manifestation of national constitutional identities? This edited book tries to give an answer by considering some national experiences and drawing some comparative remarks.