Political and economic pressures on the study of religions: current trends and future prospects in the Danish context

The future of the study of religions is, like any other academic discipline, dependent on political and economic factors. In a country such as Denmark, where universities are primarily financed by the state, the willingness of the state to fund disciplines in the humanities impacts the future of the study of religions. The transition to a competition state has entailed the introduction of austerity measures and reforms that have a considerable impact on the study of religions. Nevertheless, the requirement that teachers in secondary education who teach classes on religion have a relevant university degree will guarantee the survival of the discipline. The article concludes by extrapolating current trends into the future. Tightened budgets will impact the study of religions, with potential consequences such as a greater pressure on researchers to compete for external funding and a need to reduce staff.