Faith and place

Constructing Muslim identity in a secular Lutheran society

Datos Bibliográficos

ID2406014
AutoresCharlotte Fridolfsson (Linköping University), Ingemar Elander (0000-0002-7737-5850, Örebro University)
Año2013
Volumen20
Número3
Páginas319-337
Fecha de publicación2013-07-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaCultural Geographies (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1474-4740 • E-ISSN: 1477-0881
EditorialSAGE Publications Inc (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1177/1474474012464024
OpenAlexW1968541623
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas4
Referencias citadas10

Non-Christian immigrants coming to Sweden encounter a mainly secular society with a strong Lutheran heritage, as physically symbolized by the more than 3500 church towers scattered throughout the country, often in central locations in cities and villages. In this landscape dotted with Christian landmarks, there are few visible physical spaces linked to the identity of Muslim immigrants. The aim of this article is to analyse the religious and cultural significance that Muslim immigrants attach to the presence or absence of mosques in their neighbourhood. Drawing upon a conceptual framework that distinguishes between physical, mental and social space, the analysis focuses on the meaning of place and the identity attached to the mosques. The empirical basis for the study includes interviews with imams complemented by articles and other written materials published in newspapers and on the internet. In the concluding section, we return to and reflect upon our overarching question: the relationship between faith and place in a multi-religious, multi-ethnic society. As illustrated in the article, mosques not only function as internal markers of religious faith but also serve as arenas where links can be developed to Christian and secular parts of Swedish society. Thus, they are important in providing both bonding and bridging capital, thus making it possible to develop a Muslim identity in Sweden

Aesthetics · Epistemology · Ethnic group · Faith · Identity (music · Immigration · Islam · Meaning (existential · Neighbourhood (mathematics · Political science · Religious identity · Social science · Sociology · Sociology of religion · Theology · Anthropology · Gender Studies · History · Law · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Religious studies · Religious Tourism and Spaces