010097 SE Religions in public institutions? (2024S)

According to Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion. This right includes freedom [...] to manifest his religion or belief, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, in teaching, practice, worship and observance". But what about the practice of religion in public institutions? On the one hand, there are institutions in which the practice of religion encounters difficulties (e.g. in military barracks, prisons, hospitals and nursing homes). On the other hand, there are institutions in which the presence of religion raises fundamental questions about the relationship between religion, the public and the State (schools, universities, public media, etc.). In the seminar, we will address fundamental considerations on the legal relationship between the State and religions. Building on this, we will then familiarise ourselves with the legal framework conditions for the pastoral care of the various religious communities in public institutions and critically question them. The seminar will culminate in an excursion to the 5th Prague Dialogues on Church and State Relations: Spiritual Care in Public Institutions, where the Austrian perspective will be broken up and expanded by presentations from European experts.