ABSTRACT
The transformative power of human rights is hard to question. In the beginning of the strong development of human rights in the mid-20th century, rights were interpreted creatively as a tool towards the liberation of people and the protection of human dignity. In the European space, for instance, the notion and concept of religion as a protected identity marker has known expansive development. Despite the lack of conceptual clarity as a term, religion appears to work on many levels. As a constructed (legal) category, religion represents a system of beliefs and norms but also provides the space for one’s questions on the nature of human existence and its purpose. Educating ‘about’ religion is clearly a distinct approach, however, from that of educating ‘into’ religion or educating ‘from’ religion. With the help of alternative strategies, religious identity has entered the frame of EU consideration while connected to employment, education, culture or the integration of third-country nationals.
