The debate about Norwegian religious education, since the change towards a more multi-faith and non-confessional school subject in 1997, has often touched upon issues of impartiality, using concepts such as neutral, objective, descriptive, critical and pluralistic. Still, international Human Rights bodies have criticised Norwegian regulations for religious education and by this contributed to change of both curriculum and practice. This makes the Norwegian example interesting from an international perspective. The national debates are, however, complex and sometimes confusing. Sometimes legal and educational perspectives on religious education may seem to be incommensurable, and also pedagogical, academic and even epistemological traditions differ. The article analyses and discusses Norwegian public debate as well as religious education research in order to approach general issues of impartiality and neutrality in non-confessional religious education. It argues that these issues should be contextualised both on a national and sub-national level and discusses what this means for the work in classrooms. Research suggests that teachers struggle with complex issues related to partiality and impartiality in their teaching; but that they have little opportunity to discuss their experiences. The debate about principles therefore needs to be accompanied by more cooperation between researchers and teachers in developing good teaching and learning.

Artikkelen gir et overblikk over hvordan nyere nordisk religionsdidaktisk forskning har nærmet seg spørsmål om mangfoldets utfordringer og muligheter. Overblikket baseres på analyse av doktoravhandlinger, noen forskningsprosjekter og en del artikler. Det spørres om hvordan forskningen beskriver religions- og livssynsmangfoldet, hvilke religionsdidaktiske utfordringer den mener mangfoldet reiser og hvilke strategier lærerne kan ta i bruk i arbeid med faget i klasserommet? Analysen viser at forskningen er omfattende og økende, men omfanget varierer mellom de nordiske landene. Den aktuelle forskningen bidrar i betydelig grad til å forstå og problematisere religionsundervisningens plass og rolle i et samfunn som preges av økt religions- og livssynsmangfold, og til å forstå at forskningsfeltet er blitt til i et samspill mellom ulike akademiske disipliner, og dessuten mellom politikk, forskning og praksis. Resultatene fra forskningen bidrar først og fremst til å belyse mangfoldets omfang og kompleksitet, samt at det i varierende grad fanges opp av læreplaner og undervisning. Det er mindre av forskning som belyser lærerarbeidet, læreprosesser og resultater av undervisningen. Forskningen viser også at religions- og livssynsmangfold må ses som en viktig del av forutsetningene for undervisning og læring i alle fag, og i religions- og livssynsfagene er den i dag en selvsagt forutsetning, uavhengig av hvordan disse er organisert i de ulike landene.

This chapter starts from two assumptions. First, Western European societies are characterized by changing religious, ethnic and linguistic diversity. Second, this is perceived as a challenge to both existing knowledge and practice, while at the same time it lays the basis for new knowledge and practice. The chapter discusses how knowledge production and the development of new practices may come about simultaneously, using action research as a way of addressing existing social complexity. We also revisit an earlier action research project, which focused on religious education and diversity. A main aim was how to deal with sociocultural diversity as part of subject area teaching and learning. The chapter addresses how theory was used and subsequently developed through different phases of three sub-projects.

Norwegian religious education research has produced more than 30 dissertations since late1990’s and has a strong and growing research record in spite of a rather weak and vulnerable position in academic structures. In order to assess the situation and to discuss future possibilities, the article presents the research context and go on to discuss the dissertations of Geir Skeie (1998) and Bengt-Ove Andreassen (2007). It is argued that they have many similarities, but also differences in the way they address the field and discuss epistemological issues. Theory, method and effects of the dissertations in the research community are mentioned and this leads to a deliberation about the role of academic disciplines in the construction of religious education research. A final discussion concludes that systematic reviews of religious education research would be helpful in order to develop future research and to avoid less fruitful disciplinary rivalries.