Study circle

Abstract: While much has been written about resurgent Islamic movements in recent decades, the proliferation of religious reading circles has received little attention. Few studies delineate the specifics of audience engagement with authoritative Islamic texts on the ground. This paper is a small attempt at such an inquiry in the context of Bangladesh. It investigates a particular Islamist Qur'anic study session conducted in Dhaka in 2003. Such reading sessions are routinely conducted within Bangladesh Islamic Chatri Sangstha (BICSa), the leading Islamic organization of women students in Bangladesh. I suggest that BICSa reading sessions embody spaces of both deliberation and discipline. In analysing a group discussion of a set of Qur'anic verses widely assigned for study within BICSa, particularly in relation to the central Islamist notion of ‘belief’, this paper argues that reading circles play a primary role in the production of a uniquely disciplined and devout, yet modern Islamist subjectivity in Bangladesh. A study circle familiarizes a lay Bangladeshi with specific kinds of religious literature and teaches them to understand and shape contemporary realities via scriptural injunctions. However, this inculcation process is not linear: The mastery of the Qur'anic literature enables both devotion to and contestation of BICSa precepts.

Abstract: This text aims to give an overview of the study circles as a tradition and state of the art at present time. The point of departure is primarily the Swedish context, even though there are some comments about study circles elsewhere. This focus is justified by the fact that although study circles do appear worldwide, their status in Sweden as a mass phenomenon is rather unique and has attracted attention from outside observers. Academic publications written in English about the Swedish study-circles do, however, exist, but only a few are recent. Drawing on results from empirical research done by Swedish researchers, as well as public statistics and evaluations, our ambition is to portray the study circles and their institutional context in Sweden. First, there is a discussion about definitions, pointing out the lack of an exact notion of the study circle, but also suggesting an approximate answer – a study circle grammar. In order to provide a deeper understanding of the realities, there are also some very concrete examples, with respect to content and process. The idea is to communicate a richer and more down-to-earth meaning. The same thought is applied to the second part, where participation and outcomes are presented. These are based on recent statistics, but also reports about the study circles from the participants’ point of view - their experiences and understandings. The administrative and economic support system is important for the operation of the study circles and consequently, it is described in a rather elaborate way in the third part. We think it will help readers to have some knowledge of this context for the Swedish study circles, which we think is different elsewhere. Finally there is a bibliography of literature on study circles in Sweden and internationally. The ambition of the bibliography is to capture as much as possible, written in languages that can be read by an international audience. A number of useful web addresses are also included in order to provide easy access to important resources. The bibliography will hopefully be a tool for those who want to learn more.

Abstract: How does participation in nonformal learning influence the self-perceived well-being among older adults? This article looks into that issue through a study of people aged 65 years or older who have participated in Swedish study circles. The data analyzed consists of a nation-wide survey of study circle participants. The results show that there are beneficial effects from participating in study circles for the well-being of older adults. As could be expected, participants claim that their knowledge and skills have increased; but the main finding is the importance of the social dimension of participating in nonformal learning activities. The fellowship created in study circles is both an important motive for participation and an important outcome of having participated. This, however, is not at the expense of gaining new knowledge. Rather, the two dimensions may strengthen each other. Nonformal settings appear to provide an environment that has positive effects on the well-being of older adults. The...

Abstract: Home care for cognitively impaired elderly puts tremendous stress and burden on their families. Therefore it is important to search for effective care models in order to provide support for this group. In this study, an intervention model--the Circle Model--was developed, tested and evaluated in six places in Sweden. The model is unique in that family caregivers and volunteers were trained together in study circles. After their training, the volunteers replaced the caregivers in the homes on a regular basis, which permitted the caregivers some relief from the demands of caregiving. Interviews were conducted with the participants to gather information about their training and relief care experiences. The caregivers reported that the study circle provided opportunity to exchange experiences with other people in similar situations. They felt a spirit of community with other relatives, and were able to increase their knowledge in care providing and coping strategies. The emphasis in temporary relief care by the volunteers was placed on providing the relatives with feelings of security and relaxation. The satisfaction among the Circle Model participants was reciprocal. The volunteers also reported high satisfaction and appreciation of the knowledge which they acquired from the caregivers. The Circle Model brings new dimensions to the home care situation and should be seen as a complement to social services support.