Short description:

This book uses the very latest research to examine current interactions between religion, migration and existential wellbeing. In particular, it demonstrates the role of religion and religious organizations in the social, medical and existential wellbeing of immigrants within their host societies.

Long description:

This book uses the very latest research to examine current interactions between religion, migration and existential wellbeing. In particular, it demonstrates the role of religion and religious organizations in the social, medical and existential wellbeing of immigrants within their host societies. By focusing on the role and politics of religion and religious organisations as well as the religious identity and faith of individuals, it highlights the connection between existential wellbeing, integration and social cohesion.

The book brings together researchers from various disciplines taking on the challenge to elaborate on the theme of this book from different perspectives, using different methods and theories with a wide selection of cases from various parts of the world. The value of multidisciplinary research on the role of religion in a globalised society ? locally, nationally and internationally ? is important for understanding the composition and potential solutions to social and political problems. Religious aspects and organisations are present in legal, political and social forms of governance and form the basis for future research on e.g. secularisation, democracy, minorities, human rights, welfare, healthcare and identity formation. These and other related topics are discussed in this book.

This book is an up-to-date and multifaceted study of how religion engages with the mass movement of peoples. As such, it will be of great interest to any scholar of Religious Studies, Migrant Studies, Sociology of Religion, Religion and Politics, as well as Legal Studies with a human right focus.

Wide-ranging in scope, the volume?s three core areas of focus areas are: legal and constitutional aspects of religious diversity; polycentric governance and social cohesion; and religious identities and existential wellbeing. Religion runs as a core theme through each of these areas, with careful attention paid to its fluidity and impact both as a concept and an organizing practice. Nationalism is also an important theme as diversities are constructed as threatening an often monolithic ?us?, which is also socially constructed as a strategy of governance and exclusion. Diversity models and approaches such as multiculturalism, interculturalism and accommodation are considered, drawing on the social histories of their emergence and in some cases, decline to lend a deeper contextual framework for understanding current responses to new forms of diversity.

Lori G. Beaman, University of Ottawa, Canada

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgements; Foreword by Lori Berman; Contributors; Introduction: Migration, Religion and Existential Wellbeing -Theorizing the role of religion in contemporary migration and integration governance-Moa Kindström Dahlin, Oscar L. Larsson, Anneli Winell; PART I: HISTORICAL AND CONSTTUTIONAL ASPECTS OF RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY; 1 Religious Freedom, Equality Rights and their Contentious Implementation: Norm Conflicts Deriving from the Chasm between International and National Human Rights-Annette Schnabel, Heiko Beyer and Kathrin Behrens;2 Religious Diversity in the Public Arena as a Cornerstone for Social Integration and the Impact of Law-Gabriele Buchholtz; 3 Differentiation between Religion and Individuals? Measuring Hostile Attitudes towards Islam and Muslims in Germany-Isabell Diekmann; 4 Lessons from the history - Responding to Islamophobia in Victoria and Abdul and The Sultan and The Queen-Abderrahman Beggar; PART II: POLYCENTRIC GOVERNANCE AND SOCIAL COHESION; 5 Human rights and citizenship based claims for access to healthcare - evidence from policy makers, NGO and healthcare workers across Europe-Hannah Bradby, Adele Lebano, Sarah Hamad, Alejandro Gil ? Salmerón, Estrella Durá-Ferrandis, Jorge Garcés-Ferrer, William Sherlaw, Iva Christova, Pania Karnaki, Dina Zota, Elena Riza;6 The Role of Religion and the Power of Civil Society Actors in Integration Governance in Rural Contexts-Oscar L. Larsson;7 The role of Christianity in the discourse on migration in Hungary? Christian leaders and the various interpretations of Christianity-Anna Vancsó; 8 Protestant Russian congregations contributing to social cohesion in the Helsinki metropolitan area of Finland-Maija Penttilä;PART III: RELIGIOUS IDENTITIES AND EXISTENTIAL WELLBEING; 9 Mental Health: The Role of Religion and Spirituality-Grace Chang; 10 Latin American Pentecostals in Sweden. Belief and Mistrust in Stockholm?s Urban Space-Emir Mahieddin; 11 Islamic leadership and Muslim immigration: A Framework for Reflection and Analysis-Mehrnosh Lajevardi Fatemi; 12 Crossing Borders, Changing Faith: how forced and voluntary migrant adolescents in Belgium describe the impact of relocation on their faith-Amy Casteel and Annemie Dillen; Conclusion