Animated film “The outdoor swimming pool between bikini and burkini”

The animated film “The outdoor swimming pool between bikini and burkini” explores attitudes towards the burkini among public swimming pool users and the role that social norms and religious beliefs play in shaping these attitudes. Subtitled “A film about religion and the body in the public space”, the film was produced for the exhibition “Body. Cult. Religion.” organised by the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” as part of its 2024/2025 annual theme “Body and Religion”. It illustrates how people with differing views on religion, the body and bodily exposure encounter one another in public spaces, and examines the questions this raises for society’s approach to religious diversity.

The animated film presents findings from a study conducted by sociologist Ines Michalowski of the Cluster of Excellence, who surveyed more than 100 swimming pool users in a major city in eastern Germany about their attitudes towards the burkini. The survey formed part of the research project “Bodyrules”, which investigated how culturally and religiously diverse bodily practices are accommodated in swimming pools, hospitals and schools. The film’s visual design was created by graphic designer Stefan Matlik, with a script by journalist Marion Trimborn. Editorial responsibility lay with the Centre for Research Communication of the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics”. (vvm)

Reference: Ines Michalowski (2023): “Säkularität im Schwimmbad. Einstellungen zu eigenen und fremden Körperpraktiken”, KZfSS Kölner Zeitschrift für Soziologie und Sozialpsychologie, 75(2), 171–201.