Leni Franken
Biographic Data
| ID | 1207149 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Leni Franken |
| GIVEN NAMES | Leni |
| FAMILY NAME | Franken |
| SIGNATURE | FRANKEN L |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Antwerp |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-4324-7823 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 11 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 5 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 11 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2013 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
Similar rights, different paths
In Belgium, religious education (RE) in six recognised religions and in non-denominational ethics is organised in ‘official’ (i.e. state) schools. This policy, the result of a historical compromise reached in 1958, was anchored in the Constitution in 1988. However, due to increasing religious diversity and secularisation, the organisation of RE in official schools is nowadays a contested issue in the Flemish as well as in the French Community. No…
The end of the opt-out era in Belgian governmental schools
The Belgian Constitution holds an obligation for governmental schools to organise RE in the recognised religions and in non-confessional ethics for all children of school age. While neither the Flemish nor the French Community legislator can thus abandon RE altogether, both legislators have recently taken initiatives, moving beyond the opt-out system, towards an opt-in system and a partial withdrawal of RE in governmental schools. After a brief d…
Integrative RE in Flanders
Since 2009, there is a discussion about how RE should be organised in state and ‘private’ (mainly Catholic) schools in Flanders. Especially the proposal to introduce non-denominational and integrative RE for all pupils in all schools stimulated the debate. More than ten years later, the RE system, which is based on (semi-)confessional and in state schools also separate RE courses, has not changed profoundly. Despite this status quo, several initi…
Passive Freedom of Education
According to the ECHR, parents have the right to have their children educated in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions. In this contribution, we examine how this passive freedom of education is granted in the Belgian (Flemish) and Dutch education systems, which are both characterised by substantial funding of non-governmental (mainly Christian) schools. In order to do so, we will have a closer look at the diversity bet…
A Belgian Imam Training
Over the past decades, the number of (practicing) Muslims increased visibly in Belgium, but present Church-State regulations are not adequately adapted to accommodate the diversity of Muslim communities. This has also repercussions for the training of imams. In this contribution, I will briefly sketch the state of the art of this training in Belgium. In order to do so, I will start with an elaboration of Church-State relations in Belgium, where I…
Rejecting "Controversial" Issues in Education
In liberal democracies, fundamental rights and freedoms can conflict, and if they do, it is not always clear which right the state should prioritize. Should the right of parents to choose education in line with their own convictions prevail, or should the right of children to be prepared for a future life in a liberal democratic society be given more moral weight? While the former might lead to establishing and subsidizing orthodox religious scho…
Islamic religious education in Belgian state schools
Based on Habermas’ normative theory of religion in post-secular society, this article elaborates on the organisation of Islamic religious education (RE) in state schools. Hereto, a brief sketch of the Habermasian concepts of reflexive religion and complementary learning processes will be given. Subsequently, the author addresses the role of RE in post-secular society and applies these Habermasian concepts to confessional RE, with particular atten…
Coping with diversity in Religious Education
As a result of secularisation and increasing religious diversity, several European nation have states adapted their policy with regard to the organisation of Religious Education (RE) (or its equivalent) in state schools (schools funded and established by the state). In this article, different strategies will be outlined and evaluated: (1) the shift from confessional/catechetical to semi-confessional RE; (2) the possibility of exemption; (3) the o…
Liberal Neutrality and State Support for Religion
State Support for Religion in Belgium
Journal Article State Support for Religion in Belgium: A Critical Evaluation Get access Leni Franken Leni Franken Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Church and State, Volume 59, Issue 1, February 2017, Pages 59–80, https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csv099 Published: 30 October 2015
Is Active State Support for Religions and Worldviews Compatible with the Liberal Idea of State Neutrality? A Critical Analysis of the Belgian Case
Since the Age of Enlightenment, the separation of state and church has been an important principle that facilitates the organization of a liberal democracy. This separation has a double, reciprocal task: the government should be protected against illegitimate religious interference, and religions and believers should be protected against undesirable political involvement.1 Nowadays, it seems better to use the concept “separation between state and…
Is Active State Support for Religions and Worldviews Compatible with the Liberal Idea of State Neutrality? A Critical Analysis of the Belgian Case
Since the Age of Enlightenment, the separation of state and church has been an important principle that facilitates the organization of a liberal democracy. This separation has a double, reciprocal task: the government should be protected against illegitimate religious interference, and religions and believers should be protected against undesirable political involvement.1 Nowadays, it seems better to use the concept “separation between state and…
Rejecting "Controversial" Issues in Education
In liberal democracies, fundamental rights and freedoms can conflict, and if they do, it is not always clear which right the state should prioritize. Should the right of parents to choose education in line with their own convictions prevail, or should the right of children to be prepared for a future life in a liberal democratic society be given more moral weight? While the former might lead to establishing and subsidizing orthodox religious scho…
Is Active State Support for Religions and Worldviews Compatible with the Liberal Idea of State Neutrality? A Critical Analysis of the Belgian Case
Since the Age of Enlightenment, the separation of state and church has been an important principle that facilitates the organization of a liberal democracy. This separation has a double, reciprocal task: the government should be protected against illegitimate religious interference, and religions and believers should be protected against undesirable political involvement.1 Nowadays, it seems better to use the concept “separation between state and…
State Support for Religion in Belgium
Journal Article State Support for Religion in Belgium: A Critical Evaluation Get access Leni Franken Leni Franken Search for other works by this author on: Oxford Academic Google Scholar Journal of Church and State, Volume 59, Issue 1, February 2017, Pages 59–80, https://doi.org/10.1093/jcs/csv099 Published: 30 October 2015
Liberal Neutrality and State Support for Religion
Coping with diversity in Religious Education
As a result of secularisation and increasing religious diversity, several European nation have states adapted their policy with regard to the organisation of Religious Education (RE) (or its equivalent) in state schools (schools funded and established by the state). In this article, different strategies will be outlined and evaluated: (1) the shift from confessional/catechetical to semi-confessional RE; (2) the possibility of exemption; (3) the o…
Islamic religious education in Belgian state schools
Based on Habermas’ normative theory of religion in post-secular society, this article elaborates on the organisation of Islamic religious education (RE) in state schools. Hereto, a brief sketch of the Habermasian concepts of reflexive religion and complementary learning processes will be given. Subsequently, the author addresses the role of RE in post-secular society and applies these Habermasian concepts to confessional RE, with particular atten…
A Belgian Imam Training
Over the past decades, the number of (practicing) Muslims increased visibly in Belgium, but present Church-State regulations are not adequately adapted to accommodate the diversity of Muslim communities. This has also repercussions for the training of imams. In this contribution, I will briefly sketch the state of the art of this training in Belgium. In order to do so, I will start with an elaboration of Church-State relations in Belgium, where I…
Rejecting "Controversial" Issues in Education
In liberal democracies, fundamental rights and freedoms can conflict, and if they do, it is not always clear which right the state should prioritize. Should the right of parents to choose education in line with their own convictions prevail, or should the right of children to be prepared for a future life in a liberal democratic society be given more moral weight? While the former might lead to establishing and subsidizing orthodox religious scho…
Integrative RE in Flanders
Since 2009, there is a discussion about how RE should be organised in state and ‘private’ (mainly Catholic) schools in Flanders. Especially the proposal to introduce non-denominational and integrative RE for all pupils in all schools stimulated the debate. More than ten years later, the RE system, which is based on (semi-)confessional and in state schools also separate RE courses, has not changed profoundly. Despite this status quo, several initi…
Passive Freedom of Education
According to the ECHR, parents have the right to have their children educated in conformity with their own religious and philosophical convictions. In this contribution, we examine how this passive freedom of education is granted in the Belgian (Flemish) and Dutch education systems, which are both characterised by substantial funding of non-governmental (mainly Christian) schools. In order to do so, we will have a closer look at the diversity bet…
The end of the opt-out era in Belgian governmental schools
The Belgian Constitution holds an obligation for governmental schools to organise RE in the recognised religions and in non-confessional ethics for all children of school age. While neither the Flemish nor the French Community legislator can thus abandon RE altogether, both legislators have recently taken initiatives, moving beyond the opt-out system, towards an opt-in system and a partial withdrawal of RE in governmental schools. After a brief d…
Similar rights, different paths
In Belgium, religious education (RE) in six recognised religions and in non-denominational ethics is organised in ‘official’ (i.e. state) schools. This policy, the result of a historical compromise reached in 1958, was anchored in the Constitution in 1988. However, due to increasing religious diversity and secularisation, the organisation of RE in official schools is nowadays a contested issue in the Flemish as well as in the French Community. No…
Political science (11 works) · Law (10 works) · Sociology (10 works) · Politics (8 works) · Religious Education and Schools (8 works) · Religion and Society Interactions (5 works) · Confessional (4 works) · Diverse Education Studies and Reforms (4 works) · Flemish (4 works) · Philosophy (4 works)