Doctoral Dissertation Research: Muslim Identity and the Mosque in Contemporary Socieity

博士论文研究：当代社会中的穆斯林身份与清真寺

• 批准号: 1331827
• 负责人: Jeffrey Alexander
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: Yale University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2013-09-01 至 2014-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1331827&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Muslim; Identity

SES-1331827Jeffrey AlexanderElisabeth BeckerPrinceton UniversityThis dissertation project studies identity formation, boundary making, and stigma by focusing on Muslim identity within the context of the mosque in contemporary society. Through qualitative methods (ethnographic observation at mosques, interviews and textual analysis of national newspapers), the investigators will study Muslim identity construction and the confrontation of resulting stigmatization. The intellectual stimulus arises from the policy findings that individuals in Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom increasingly privilege their Muslim identities over ethnic or national identities. The researchers hypothesize that individuals with Muslim backgrounds both confirm and challenge religion-based boundaries through various strategies (e.g. confrontation, dialogue, and avoidance). In testing and building upon this hypothesis, this study will address the following questions: What is the importance of Islam for individual identities in contemporary European societies? How and why do individuals who identify as Muslims cope with and/or confront stigma? How and why is the site of the mosque important for strategies of coping with and/or confronting stigma across national contexts? The investigators will complete an ethnographic study with three Muslim minority groups at the site of the mosque in three European cities (individuals of Pakistani descent in London, UK; Turkish descent in Berlin, Germany; and Moroccan descent in Madrid, Spain). Through ethnographic observation, interviews and textual analysis, the researchers employ a unique methodological approach to analyze identity formation and resultant everyday experience across the continent--providing both micro and macro lenses for better understanding migration, integration and multiculturalism in Europe through the dually social/physical space of the mosque. Ethnographic studies of Muslim groups to date focus almost exclusively on insider accounts, failing to address mainstream societal forces that contribute to identity formation among minority groups. Moreover, the ethnographic site of the mosque is highly underutilized, with no in-depth ethnographies as of yet undertaken at a European mosque and only one at a mosque in the United States. The comparative method that draws on parallels of increased identification of Muslim in three historically divergent European countries, as well as the inclusion of a southern European country, will concurrently contribute to sociological understanding of boundaries on belonging in different contexts. Broader ImpactThe significance of this study reaches far beyond the discipline of Sociology into broader society. In grappling with debates on immigration and integration, research findings will contribute to understandings of multiculturalism globally. By engaging with not only academic institutions, but also community organizations, the research will also help to create linkages between the academic and broader civil society in the three countries of study.

SES-1331827杰弗里·亚历山大伊丽莎白·贝克尔普林斯顿大学本论文项目研究身份的形成，边界制作，并通过专注于穆斯林身份的背景下，在当代社会的耻辱清真寺。通过定性方法（在清真寺的民族志观察，采访和全国性报纸的文本分析），调查人员将研究穆斯林身份的构建和由此产生的污名化的对抗。知识刺激来自政策调查结果，即德国、西班牙和联合王国的个人越来越重视他们的穆斯林身份，而不是种族或民族身份。研究人员假设，具有穆斯林背景的人通过各种策略（例如对抗，对话和回避）确认和挑战基于宗教的边界。在测试和建立在这一假设，本研究将解决以下问题：什么是伊斯兰教的个人身份在当代欧洲社会的重要性？穆斯林是如何以及为什么要科普和/或面对污名化的？清真寺所在地如何以及为什么对各国应对和/或对抗污名化的战略很重要？调查人员将在三个欧洲城市的清真寺所在地完成对三个穆斯林少数群体的人种学研究（英国伦敦的巴基斯坦血统;德国柏林的土耳其血统;以及西班牙马德里的摩洛哥血统）。通过民族志观察，访谈和文本分析，研究人员采用独特的方法来分析整个大陆的身份形成和由此产生的日常经验-通过清真寺的双重社会/物理空间，提供微观和宏观镜头，以更好地理解欧洲的移民，融合和多元文化。 迄今为止，对穆斯林群体的人种学研究几乎完全集中在内部人士的叙述上，未能解决有助于少数群体形成身份的主流社会力量。此外，该清真寺的人种学遗址利用率极低，迄今为止，欧洲的一座清真寺没有进行过深入的人种学研究，美国的一座清真寺也只有一次。比较的方法，借鉴了穆斯林在三个历史上不同的欧洲国家，以及包括一个南欧国家的认同增加的相似之处，同时将有助于社会学的理解在不同的背景下属于边界。 更广泛的影响这项研究的意义远远超出了社会学的学科，进入更广泛的社会。在解决移民和融合的辩论中，研究结果将有助于全球对多元文化的理解。通过不仅与学术机构，而且与社区组织接触，研究还将有助于在三个研究国家的学术界和更广泛的民间社会之间建立联系。