Religion and attitudes toward state organizations: the case of schools. A comparison across five countries.

International audienceWe explore the links between religion/religiosity and school attitudes among junior high school students in five countries (France, Germany, the Netherlands, the UK and the USA). Socialization of children is undertaken, in part, through schools that equip them with skills, instill values and impose rules and sanctions (compulsory attendance, behavioural standards). Attachment or detachment vis-à-vis school may be critical in the socialization of children and their integration into broader society. Using multilevel models and controlling for socio-economic indicators, we find small effects of religious denomination (Muslim pupils being less attached) and religiosity (more religious children being more attached), as well as that of minority concentration (attending schools with minority concentration leads to lower attachment). This is an important finding, indicating that while such effects can be statistically significant, the main causes do not lie in variables related to religion or religiosity. Even in countries such as France and the UK where ethnicity, a variable interlinked with denomination, is a predictor of more distrust and tensions with the police, such a mechanism does not appear to be strong regarding schools. Survey data are from the UPYC dataset and the ISDR3 questionnaire