Cyberethnography and New Methods for Studying Islamic Communities

In recent decades, virtual space has become an important arena for the formation and expression of Islamic identity. With the development of digital technologies, Muslims around the world have begun to use the Internet as a means of communication, learning, and practicing religion. This article examines cyberethnography as a method for studying Islamic communities, analyzing such phenomena as cyber-Islamic space, Islamic media, social networks, video reels, instant messengers, mobile applications, and the virtual Ummah. With the emergence of virtual space, traditional fieldwork methods based on direct interaction with informants are becoming insufficient for understanding the complex dynamics of Muslim communities. In this context, issues of ethnographic methodology are becoming relevant, which must be consistent with modern research objectives. One of the new methods is working in a virtual field, where researchers interact with informants through social networks and other on-line platforms, and not only through face-to-face communication. Social networks of people connected through certain media make it possible to observe interactions between participants who may be located in different countries and represent different cultures. This expands the traditional field of study of Muslim communities, taking account of the diversity of experiences and perspectives on Islam

Ethnography · Islam · Qualitative research · The Internet · Virtual world · Educational Innovations and Challenges · Linguistic, Cultural, and Literary Studies · Media, Religion, Digital Communication

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