By Bruce A Collet

Chair: Liz Jackson

To what degree might public schools play positive and supporting roles among migrant communities within which religion provides a sense of security? What do these roles look like? What defines the limitations that schools in liberal democratic states face in specifying and fulfilling these roles? In this talk I examine religion, culture, and the self within the liberal democratic state, with particular emphasis on examining the relationship between autonomy and religious affiliation. I then move to an overview of the social science literature on migration and religion, and the role of religion in integration. Finally, I synthesize the first two parts of the talk by examining lessons public schools might draw from what the social sciences tell us regarding religious security amongst migrant communities, and how school policies might be informed by this work while still remaining true to core liberal democratic principles.

Bruce Collet is an Associate Professor in Educational Foundations and Inquiry at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he teaches courses in diversity and education, comparative education, and the philosophy of education, and serves as a core faculty member in Bowlinghkch Green’s Master of Arts in Cross-Cultural and International Education program. His main research focus concerns migration, religion and schooling. He is currently working on a book, Migration, Religion, and Schooling within Liberal Democratic States (forthcoming with Routledge, 2017). Dr. Collet serves as Chief Editor of the journal Diaspora, Indigenous, and Minority Education.

Date: Tuesday, 14 February 2017

Time: 12:45 – 14:30

Venue: RM 202, Runme Shaw Building, HKU

Click here for the poster.

All are welcome!