Ayse Demirel Ucan is Researcher in the Religious Education Department at Marmara University, Turkey.

• List of tables AcknowledgementsChapter 1Introduction Problems of teaching Islam in confessional and constructivist religious educationAbsence of diversity in the Islamic Religious Education curriculumA new theoretical and pedagogical approach to Islamic Religious EducationThe aim of the studyStructure of the bookChapter 2Critical Realism and Islam Critical Realism Religion, God and Critical Realism Critical Realism as applied to Islam Critical Realism as ‘underlabouring’ Islamic Religious Education Chapter 3Applying the Framework of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory to Islamic Religious Education Critical Religious Education PhenomenographyVariation Theory Learning Study Model Chapter 4Research Methodology Research Approach Implementaion of learning studiesSampling of research participants Data collection toolsData analysisEthical considerations and trustworthiness of the studyReflexivity Chapter 5Implementation of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory in RE lessons: A learning study on ‘Islam and being a Muslim’The first lived object of learning The intended object of learning The enacted object of learning The second lived object of learning Chapter 6Implementation of Critical Religious Education and Variation Theory in RE lessons: A learning study on ‘equality in Islam’The first lived object of learning The intended object of learning The enacted object of learning The second lived object of learning Chapter 7RE teachers’ pedagogical perceptions and practices before and during the learning study Theoretical backgroundThemesChapter 8Discussion and Conclusion Summary and discussion of the findings The theoretical and pedagogical implications for Islamic Religious EducationLimitations of the study Future research Concluding remarksAppendicesIndex