Al-Mustafa University and Transnational Shia Education in Europe
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 17811754 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Minoo Mirshahvalad (0000-0001-7497-8173, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Publication date | 2026-04-29 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Contemporary Islam (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1872-0218 • E-ISSN: 1872-0226 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11562-026-00615-5 |
| OpenAlex | W7160211978 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 33 |
This article presents the findings of the first comparative sociological study of the Iranian university al-Mustafa (AMU) across selected cities in Britain, Italy, Germany, and Denmark. Based on ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviews conducted between 2018 and 2025, it addresses two interrelated questions: First, how is AMU positioned within the complex landscape of European-based Shia educational institutions? Second, which key variables influence its operations in these cities? The first question is addressed by demonstrating how AMU situates itself within a hierarchical knowledge supply chain linking West and South Asia to Europe. In response to the second question, the article identifies four main variables shaping AMU’s functioning in the European context: the age and size of local Shia communities, the role of European languages, the presence of competing institutions, and, most crucially, Iran’s relationship with Europe
Ethnography · Key (lock) · Multilevel model · Multilevel modelling · Sociology of religion · Islamic Studies and History · Religion, Theology, and Education · Turkey's Politics and Society
Paths Made by Walking
Beyond national states, markets, and systems of higher education
The teaching of Islam in Scandinavia
Sharing and Caring
Iran’s Public Diplomacy and Religious Soft Power in Africa
Iran’s Educational Diplomacy in the Muslim World
Aspiring and Becoming
‘Western seminary’
What Does It Mean to be Danish? The Integration of Muslims in Denmark in a Historical Perspective
Shiite “Communities of Practice” in Germany
Transcending the ‘profane’
The Deoband Universe
Educating the c Ulama
Creating a Diasporic Public Sphere in Britain
The Cultural Revolution in Iran, with Close Regard to the Universities, and its Impact on the Student Movement
Religionization of politics in Iran
Common-sense Constructivism and Hegemony in World Politics
European Shiism? Counterpoints from Shiites’ organization in Britain and the Netherlands
Shi‘ism in the American Diaspora
Khomeini and Muḥammad al-Shīrāzī
Experiments with Khomeini's Revolution in Kargil
Prospects for Higher Shia Religious Education in Post-Soviet Countries
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |