"The Mosque as a vehicle of Muslim political participation in Denmark"

Religious Diversity Colloquium Spring/Summer 2019

  • Date: Mar 18, 2019
  • Time: 10:30 AM - 12:00 PM (Local Time Germany)
  • Speaker: Brian Arly Jacobsen (University of Copenhagen)
  • Brian Arly Jacobsen is mainly doing research in the area of religion and politics and religious minority groups in Denmark, especially Muslim minorities in Denmark/Western Europe, the political debate on Muslim minority groups and Muslim institutions. Recently he have studied the relationship between local authorities and local religious groups (religion and local politics). Currently he is PI on the research project ‘Danish Mosques – Significance, Use and Influence’ (https://mosques.ku.dk/), a three year research project funded by Independent Research Fund in Denmark from 2017 to 2020. Subproject in this project has the title: “Constructing Conflict: The Politics of Mosque Building.” Previously he has been part of the following projects: The role of religion in the public sphere. A comparative study of the five Nordic countries (NOREL), Alternative Spaces – The Religion of Danes Abroad, Demography of Religion – The Challenges of Estimating Muslims, Civil Religion in Denmark and other projects.
  • Location: MPI-MMG, Hermann-Föge-Weg 12, Göttingen
  • Room: Conference Room
"The Mosque as a vehicle of Muslim political participation in Denmark"

For more details please contact vdvoffice(at)mmg.mpg.de.

Few studies have examined the role of religious institutions in ethnic or minority communities as political mobilizers. Furthermore, little is known about the role that link minorities in religious institutions to broader forms of political participation. Through an examination of patterns of Danish Muslim political behavior and their levels of mosque participation, I will argue that the mosque takes on the manifold role of mobilization vehicle for civic participation. I will also argue that most mosques on both an official and practical level promote and foster a sense of group consciousness among Danish Muslims that promote democratic ideals. Thereby the mosque can become an important focal point for integration of Muslims with migration background in the Danish society.

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