The Agency Paradigm: A Pedagogical Tool to Facilitate Nuanced Thinking on Sensitive Issues

Sensitive issues, rife in religious studies and in theology, present a pedagogical challenge when teaching students to nuance their thinking around positions that are often sharply defined and elicit strong feelings. I developed a learning tool that I call the "Agency Paradigm." The purpos...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Teaching theology and religion
Main Author: Caufield, Catherine (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Wiley-Blackwell [2017]
In: Teaching theology and religion
RelBib Classification:AH Religious education
BG World religions
NBE Anthropology
ZF Education
Further subjects:B Critical Thinking
B Women
B Dialogue
B Agency
B Religion
B emancipatory pedagogy
B Dialectic
Online Access: Volltext (Verlag)
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Description
Summary:Sensitive issues, rife in religious studies and in theology, present a pedagogical challenge when teaching students to nuance their thinking around positions that are often sharply defined and elicit strong feelings. I developed a learning tool that I call the "Agency Paradigm." The purpose of this tool is to help students comprehend diversity within religious traditions, particularly regarding the agencies of women who are committed to them. Drawing on the open and critical dialogue of emancipatory pedagogy, the Agency Paradigm encourages students to explore a range of ways women in world religions choose to act in varying contexts. This approach to teaching world religions increases students' cognitive knowledge base and expands their understanding of each of the religions studied in the course, as examined through the perspective of differing women; it also assists them in developing their own agency through thoughtful reflection.
ISSN:1467-9647
Contains:Enthalten in: Teaching theology and religion
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1111/teth.12370