Religious intolerance can cause negative attitudes and behaviours, leading to social tensions, discrimination, group hostility, and even violent conflicts. Interfaith understanding and dialogue can help reduce these risks and promote coexistence between individuals and groups of different faiths.
The course gives insight into and enables discussion of;
- The history of religious diversity and current state of interfaith coexistence.
- Stereotypes and challenges related to inter-faith diversity and its impact on inter-faith coexistence
- Importance of interfaith excursions, dialogue, and knowledge about each other’s traditions
- Education as a medium to inter-faith understanding, and challenges and opportunities related to the use of films as tools in such education.
This course is divided into four main modules, addressing the following main questions:
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- What religious traditions are part of the country’s history and present diversity? Is this diversity reflected in the common conception of national identity and the basis for citizenship?
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- What stereotypes exist about “the other” and may constitute challenges to interfaith understanding and dialogues?
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- Can excursions to holy sites and knowledge of one other’s tradition contribute to interfaith understanding and promote co-existence?
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- Can education be a medium to interfaith co-existence and dialogues? What methods can be used for such interfaith co-existence and dialogues? Can films contribute to combatting and/or creating stereotypes?
Claudia Lentz discusses how narrative competence may be a fruitful approach when working with films and other audio-visual tools in education. This includes the competence to analyse what narrative is constructed by the filmmakers and the ability to deconstruct a narrative to avoid problematic stereotyping perspectives. Another competence is to recognise counter-narrative i.e., being aware of a film’s positionality in relations to the whole landscape of representations.
At the end of each module, there will be an opportunity to apply what you have perceived by way of interactive elements such as Quizzes etc., before moving to the next module. The expectation is to achieve minimum 60% correct answers in a quiz after each module to proceed to the next one. On completion of this course, you will receive a certificate.
A conflict between the majority and minority group has a serious impact on the nationality of a minority group as the majority rejects the minority identity with that of the national identity.
Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University discusses this using the case of Northern Thailand.
A short documentary that discusses migration politics in Assam, India, and why and how the new Indian Citizenship Amendment, 2019 particularly affects Assam
Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University explains using the case of Southern Thailand that when there is an ethnic and religious difference, the state expects assimilation to the majority group.
Fernand de Varennes, UN Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues, discusses the statelessness of minority groups using the situation of the Rohingyas as an example.
This short documentary discusses the repercussions of India’s Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019. Discussing the citizenship registration practice in Assam and the influence of the latest Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019, around 500,000 Bengali Muslims are at risk of becoming stateless
Dr. Sriprapha Petcharamesree, a Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Human Rights and Peace Studies, Mahidol University, addresses the impact of lack of birth registration on citizenship and protection of human rights using the example of an undocumented Rohingya person in Thailand.
Lack of birth registration and birth certificate have seen a serious impact on a person’s enjoyment of other rights. Fahmina, a PhD scholar at Mahidol University discusses the denial of education to Rohingya children in Cox’s Bazar refugee camp due to lack of documentations for Rohingya children.
International law recognises nationality as a right and the concept of genuine connection/ social attachment as highlighted by the International Court of Justice in 1955 has relevance in recognising one's citizenship. Such a genuine link can be established, not least with continuity of residence, the establishment of personal relationships, acquisition of property, political participation, holding public offices, etc. On passing a minimum threshold of definitive residential criteria, one should have access to citizenship irrespective of not having any formal link
