CA23120 - Religious Identity, Bullying and Wellbeing at School: A Transnational Collaboration (ORBIT)

The search for wellbeing has been expressed in different ways over time. In recent years wellbeing
both as concept and lived reality has gained increasing prominence in international education
literature.
Although frequently neglected in wellbeing research, there is an emerging body of research that
connects human wellbeing and religion. Overall, this research shows that religion is good for
wellbeing, with certain aspects of religion better correlated with certain aspects of wellbeing.
However, religious identity can be stigmatised at school and at work, and this is often supported by
narratives in mainstream media that represent those of a religious identity as naïve, uncaring,
and/or fanatical. Further, the experiences of those from a traditionally majority religious position
which goes into rapid decline are a subject of some concern internationally.
When students feel forced to conceal or deny their religious identity, both personal and communal
(school community) wellbeing are compromised. Moreover, societies with declining levels of
religious engagement could be at risk of declines in personal and societal wellbeing.
This COST Action delves into the correlation between religious identity, bullying, and wellbeing, and
the implications for students, school communities, and European societies. lt provides a conduit for
researchers, policy makers, and educators to consider the relationship between religious identity,
wellbeing and inclusion. Through the objectives of each Working Group, the members of the Action
can examine how religious identity contributes to the wellbeing of individuals, family, communities,
and societies.