Course information

Contemporary political debates in the West increasingly frame migration through the lens of crisis, often conflicting religion with national identity, ethnicity, race, and culture. This seminar critically examines the relationship between religion and migration, asking how religious beliefs, practices, and institutions shape – and are shaped by – processes of mobility.

The first part of the course introduces key theoretical approaches from migration studies and the sociology of religion. It explores whether and how religion functions as a resource, a boundary marker, or a site of contestation in migratory contexts. Particular attention is paid to the role of individual religiosity, collective religious belonging, and intergenerational change in shaping migrant experiences. The course also analyzes how religion is mobilized within political and public debates on migration.

The second part of the seminar focuses on Western Europe and examines these dynamics through the example of Islam. Building on the conceptual foundations developed earlier, it investigates contemporary transformations of Islam in Europe, the diversity of Muslim identities, and the role of transnational connections. The course critically engages with competing narratives that portray Islam either as compatible with European societies or as a source of tension and securitization