Young adults´ views on cultural and religious diversity in a multicultural society in Iceland

• Main Authors: Ragnarsdóttir, Hanna, Gunnarsson, Gunnar J., Finnbogason, Gunnar E., Jónsdóttir, Halla
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Icelandic
• Published: Menntavísindasvið Háskóla Íslands 2016
• Subjects: rights; ungmenni;íslenskt samfélag;menningar- og trúarlegur margbreytileiki;jafnrétti; mannréttindi; Reykjavík; Iceland
• Online Access: https://ojs.hi.is/tuuom/article/view/2437

Democratic changes in modern societies towards growing diversity affect the lives of young people. The number of non-Icelandic citizens in Icelandic society has grown rapidly in recent decades (Hagstofa Íslands, 2015a) and religious diversity has simultaneously increased (Hagstofa Íslands, 2015b). The aim of the four year (2011–2014) research project is to explore the life values and attitudes to life of young adults (age 18–24) in a multicultural society in Iceland. Methodological approaches were both quantitative and qualitative. The first part of the research was a survey conducted with students in seven upper secondary schools in the Reykjavík area and other districts of Iceland in 2011 and 2012. Findings from the survey provided the basis for focus group interviews in 2013 and 2014 with mixed groups of students in five of the same schools. The article mainly reports on the findings from the focus group interviews. The aim of the article is to examine young adults’ attitudes towards ethnic and religious diversity, religious practice, equity, freedom and human rights in a multicultural society in Iceland. The research project is located within a broad theoretical framework and uses interdisciplinary approaches of religious education, multicultural studies and pedagogy. Cummins (2009) discusses how increased mobility of people between countries and growing diversity within countries creates social tensions, as societies find themselves dislodged from their national identity comfort zone. Parekh (2006) has emphasized that in order to ensure equality of their members, multicultural societies need to find ways to encourage individuals to participate actively. Habermas (2004, 2008) has referred to religious tolerance as the peacemaker for multiculturalism, and for the equal coexistence of different cultural forms of life within a democratic polity. Authors have emphasized that religious education can play an important role in teaching about intercultural understanding (Jackson & Fujiwara, 2008; Sjöborg, 2013) ...