English Summaries.

Specifically, it focusses on the concept of "diversity" and how this concept has been employed in order regulate religion in the context of the Therwil case. With regard to the discrepancy that has become visible in the case of Therwil between empirically existing plurality and its complex requirements on the one hand, and the political handling of it on the other, the Study of Religions need not limit itself to a mere description. As such, the Therwil case is of interest from a Study of Religions perspective because it provides a concrete example of how local religious affairs are politically negotiated with reference to a globally established discourse on "diversity". The so-called "handshake affair", which started with the refusal of two pupils to shake hands with their female teachers out of religious reasons, is characterized by a fast transfer from the local to the national and even global sphere. [Extracted from the article]