Paper short abstract:

Anthropology is strangely absent from German high school curricula, due to reasons particular to Germany's epistemic, political and ideological contexts. The paper explores where and how Anthropology still matters, while focusing on current developments in the field of 'Religious Education'.

Paper long abstract:

If social and cultural anthropology offer unique tools to comprehend differences and sameness among humans, most would agree they should be part of general education. Yet, these disciplines, broadly matching the term _Ethnologie_, are strangely absent from German school curricula. This is due to several reasons particular to Germany's epistemic, political and ideological contexts: a conflict of terminology, perhaps, as _Anthropologie_ is primarily thought of as a branch of Philosophy, with central ideas also in pedagogics and educational sciences; an educational federalism, which results in a varied landscape of educational policies and standards; Last but not least, the historical interlocking of early modern racial theory and political ideology that, while not exclusive to Germany, has resulted in a profound suspicion towards the legacy of _Völkerkunde_ (people studies).

The paper considers these aspects by drawing on the history of several failed attempts at introducing _Ethnologie_ as school subject [@Schaaf2008]. Attempts that were at times motivated by an academic vision of advancing civil society, while also being the chosen strategy in the struggle against academic marginalization. However, anthropology still matters across the board: On the grounds of her teaching experience in secondary education, the presenter points to relevant subject areas and focuses on current developments in the field of 'Religious Education' that offer new pathways for an integration of social and cultural anthropology.