Examining Religion's Influence in Non-formal and Informal Educational Contexts

This volume explores how religion shapes learning within the non-formal and informal spaces where much of everyday education takes place. Moving beyond schools and official institutions, it examines cultural associations, sports clubs, families, friendship networks, workplaces, and digital environments as key settings where beliefs, practices, and narratives are conveyed. The contributions show that religious learning unfolds through ordinary experiences, daily social interactions, and shared stories that influence personal development, paths of action, ethical imagination, and forms of belonging. Bringing together perspectives from education, sociology, history, and philosophy, the ten chapters highlight the diverse ways in which religion acts as an active agent of social education. Through case studies from Austria, Brazil, China, Italy, and Turkey, the volume offers a comparative view of how religious traditions interact with local cultures and broader educational processes. Narratives—religious and otherwise—receive particular attention, revealing how symbolic worlds, imaginaries, and digital storytelling allow individuals construct meaning and orient their life projects. Overall, the volume deepens the understanding of religion as a dynamic and formative force in current learning societies, especially within contexts marked by growing societal pluralism and contemporary challenges. It shows that education extends far beyond formal environments and curricula, and that religion continues to provide interpretive frameworks shaping both individual trajectories and broader civic horizons.