ABSTRACT
Many forms of bias-based bullying exist, but until this research, little has been written about bullying based on religion (or non-religion) or religious bullying. This chapter introduces Chan’s personal and professional experiences and observations against religion in the public sphere that led her to study religious bullying. As a previous Canadian middle school teacher, the author observed religious bullying and explains the cases and questions that burgeoned into this study and book. To manage the demanding requirements of a school day, she looked to religious literacy as a potential solution. This chapter introduces key ideas about religious bullying, religious literacy, and the themes regarding methodology, the importance of context and timing of research, and the findings from Modesto, California, and Montreal, Quebec, that are discussed in detail in this book. It introduces the sociological and educational approach to exploring religious bullying as a phenomenon that would be of interest to new and seasoned educators, parents, community (religious and non-religious) leaders, employers, policy makers, researchers, and psychiatrists and individuals interested in understanding the experiences of marginalized communities.
