TRANSIMAMS | Spreading Whose Word? Transnational Imams, Religion and Politics in Turkey’s Mosques Abroad (France, UK, USA)

Summary
Since the early 2000s, Muslim Diasporas in Europe and the USA have raised a growing interest in the public and academic spheres. While building upon this interest, the proposed research aims to bring an original contribution to the field by adopting a transnational perspective that focuses on the religious policy of Turkey towards its diaspora. The study will concentrate on the imams sent to Europe and the USA to work in the mosques managed by the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). The ethnographic study of these “transnational imams” aims to go beyond a state-centered analysis of Turkish religious policy abroad in terms of “soft power” or “religious diplomacy”. Instead, it proposes to evaluate the modalities and limits of this policy by concentrating on the training, motivations, mobility and achievements of these imams, as well as the ways they are perceived by different components of the Turkish diaspora, with special focus on France, the UK and the USA. The interdisciplinary approach at the crossroad of political science, sociology and anthropology will address the political and religious dimensions of the ideology conveyed by the Diyanet imams and question their impact on the Turkish communities settled abroad, in terms of religious practices, political affiliation, integration and possible radicalisation. The comparative perspective will take into account the history and social characteristics of these distinct Turkish diasporas and the different traditions of state/religion relationship in the three countries under study to analyse the strategies of the Diyanet and evaluate its results. Thus, by focusing on Turkey’s religious policy abroad, the proposed study aims to bring an original contribution on political Islam as a transnational ideology that mobilises state resources, religious establishments and local communities to spread a polymorphous political and religious discourse.
Unfold all
/
Fold all
More information & hyperlinks
Web resources: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/796193
Start date: 01-11-2018
End date: 31-12-2022
Total budget - Public funding: 269 857,80 Euro - 269 857,00 Euro
Cordis data

Original description

Since the early 2000s, Muslim Diasporas in Europe and the USA have raised a growing interest in the public and academic spheres. While building upon this interest, the proposed research aims to bring an original contribution to the field by adopting a transnational perspective that focuses on the religious policy of Turkey towards its diaspora. The study will concentrate on the imams sent to Europe and the USA to work in the mosques managed by the Turkish Directorate of Religious Affairs (Diyanet). The ethnographic study of these “transnational imams” aims to go beyond a state-centered analysis of Turkish religious policy abroad in terms of “soft power” or “religious diplomacy”. Instead, it proposes to evaluate the modalities and limits of this policy by concentrating on the training, motivations, mobility and achievements of these imams, as well as the ways they are perceived by different components of the Turkish diaspora, with special focus on France, the UK and the USA. The interdisciplinary approach at the crossroad of political science, sociology and anthropology will address the political and religious dimensions of the ideology conveyed by the Diyanet imams and question their impact on the Turkish communities settled abroad, in terms of religious practices, political affiliation, integration and possible radicalisation. The comparative perspective will take into account the history and social characteristics of these distinct Turkish diasporas and the different traditions of state/religion relationship in the three countries under study to analyse the strategies of the Diyanet and evaluate its results. Thus, by focusing on Turkey’s religious policy abroad, the proposed study aims to bring an original contribution on political Islam as a transnational ideology that mobilises state resources, religious establishments and local communities to spread a polymorphous political and religious discourse.

Status

TERMINATED

Call topic

MSCA-IF-2017

Update Date

28-04-2024
Images
No images available.
Geographical location(s)
Structured mapping
Unfold all
/
Fold all
Horizon 2020
H2020-EU.1. EXCELLENT SCIENCE
H2020-EU.1.3. EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
H2020-EU.1.3.2. Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility
H2020-MSCA-IF-2017
MSCA-IF-2017