Studying religion in childhood. Fieldwork ethics and methods

Abstract Anchored at the intersection of the sociology of religion, socialization and childhood, this article explores the methods that can be used to record religious affiliation, beliefs, and practices among children attending Catholic schools, as well as the ethical challenges it raises. The research is aimed at understanding pupils’ experience of religious education and whether attending a faith-based school influences their relationship with the religious. The article first discusses the ethical and legal challenges associated with studying religion in childhood and examines ways to address or account for them. It then argues that multiplying the research methods, the situations in which the children can express themselves, and the questions asked is a heuristic way of approaching a topic that is difficult to apprehend. The children were observed in situ and invited to talk about their beliefs, as well as about their enthusiasm for and interest in religious practices, revealing their relationship with the religious in all its complexity. The data gathered show that they interpret and rework the messages received through family and school socialization to make sense of their religious worlds, and that they do so in differentiated ways.