The Effects of Judgements by the European Court of Human Rights on Religious Education in England and Turkey

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the differences between national and supranational space and time by focusing on one important strand within supranational processes: the European Court of Human Rights, which has given several judgements on religious education. We compare how the ECtHR’s decisions and guidance are represented and interpreted in Turkey and England. This analysis shows that these decisions are deployed as catalysts for change as well as bulwarks of the status quo. We also consider how the two countries’ responses are different, notably because Turkey has been a responding state in several proceedings, but England has not.