Religion and migration

Session convener: Tuomas Martikainen tuomas.martikainen@utu.fi

Session description

Religious communities are among the most common associations that migrants join or establish in their countries of settlement. Besides religious activities, these associations also serve as spaces for the education of children, the reproduction of ethnicity and culture, as well as venues for general socialising and mutual support. Even in multilingual communities, they can be important sites for the use of heritage languages. Communities can also act as hubs of transnational relations, with visiting religious specialists and as sites for sharing experiences from across the diaspora.

Religious communities face challenges as new generations grow up, as the social needs of the children of immigrants are often different from those of their parents. Young people are often more proficient in the majority language than in that of their parents, and their expectations and understanding of the role of religion and community may differ significantly.

Religions also adapt and change. Some communities are built from scratch without the support of religious experts. The local community supports them financially, paying rent and, where possible, for a religious specialist. Theological innovations may be needed to address questions that were not previously considered. National legislation may require practices that are unfamiliar or even alien to the tradition. Some values may need to be rethought and reformulated. How should communities deal with multifaith partnerships or the social problems faced by their members?

A common observation is that in Western countries, migrant religious associations often begin to resemble Christian churches in the types of activities they offer and in their understanding of the roles and tasks of religious specialists. Even migrants who belong to already established religious organisations often note differences in practice and traditions, if not in creed.

This session welcomes papers discussing the interconnections between religion, migration, and migrant settlement in a new society. We especially welcome papers that examine how religious associations can provide spaces of trust and belonging, while also recognising that they may serve as sites of social control and potentially harmful practices for some of their members.