Dr. Arndt-Walter Emmerich

Arndt Emmerich is a post-doctoral research fellow at the Max-Weber-Institute of Sociology of Heidelberg University. He was a Research Fellow in the Department of Religious Diversity at MPI-MMG. As part of his project, he analysed the role of local mosque activism during the German refugee crisis through a comparative neighbourhood perspective. Prior to this, Dr Emmerich was a Qualtitaive Research Officer at the Oxford Department International Development, working for the Changing Structures of Islamic Authority project. He carried out an ethnographic study in various cities in Germany and the UK, in order to understand how Muslim youths learn about Islam, decide which Islamic tradition they follow and how mosque-based authorities ensure to stay relevant for the second and third generation of European Muslims. Dr Emmerich holds a DPhil and MPhil from the Oxford Department International Development and a BA in Sociology from the University of Essex. In his recently published monograph “Islamic Movements in India - Moderation and its Discontents”, Dr Emmerich conducted long-term participatory research within an assertive Islamic movement in the Indian states of Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and New Delhi. He drew on insights from political sociology, social movement theory and studies on political Islam to analyse the ways Islamic movements participate in the democratic process, negotiate with the secular state and align with other Muslim and non-Muslim groups. His most recent article “Political Education and Legal Pragmatism of Muslim Organizations in India” has been published in Asian Survey in 2019 and discusses the involvement of Muslim organizations in disseminating political education and legal pragmatism in India.

Research project

• ORA Joint Research Project ENCOUNTERS · Muslim-Jewish encounter, diversity & distance in urban Europe: Religion, culture and social model

Publications

Books

Emmerich, A. (2020). Islamic movements in India: moderation and its discontents. London: Routledge. Link

Journal Articles

Emmerich, A. 2023, “Arrival of Legal Salafism and the Struggle for Recognition in Germany – Reflection and Adaptation Processes within the German Da’wa movement between 2001 and 2022,” Politics and Religion (First View), 1-19. Link

Emmerich, A. (forthcoming, 2023), “(Un)Wanted Partners: Muslim Politics and Third Front Coalitions in India,” India Review.

Emmerich, A. 2022, "Masks, Mosques and Lockdowns: Islamic Organisations Navigating the COVID-19 Pandemic in Germany", Entangled Religions, 12 (3), 1-21.

Emmerich, A. (2022). Masks, mosques and lockdowns: Islamic organisations navigating the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany. Entangled Religions, 12(3). Link

Emmerich, A. (2022). Negotiating Germany’s first Muslim–Christian kindergarten: Temporalities, multiplicities, and processes in interreligious dialogue. Social Compass. Link

Emmerich, A. (2021). Language change and persistence within Turkish mosques in Germany: Transnational ties and domestic demands. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. Link

Emmerich, A. (2020). Salafi youth activism in Britain: A social movement perspective. Journal of Muslims in Europe, 9(3), 3-34.

Emmerich, A. (2019). Political education and legal pragmatism of Muslim organizations in India. A study of the changing nature of Muslim minority politics. Asian Survey, 59(3), 451-473. Link

Chapters

Emmerich, A (2023) Provincializing dialogue: Post-secular governance networks and brokerage of religious diversity in a Northern German town, for edited Volume, Dialogue and Beyond - The Sites, Practices and Materialities of Interfaith Encounter in Europe. Routledge, 71-87. Link

Blogs

Religion in Public (2023), Political accommodation of Salafism in Germany: A long-term view

Max Planck Institute Blog (2022), Exploring Frankfurt’s Deep-Story and Impact on Jewish-Muslim Encounters

Deutsche Welle/ Qantara (2022), Interfaith cooperation and integration - Germany’s first Christian-Muslim kindergarten

Deutsche Welle/ Qantara (2022), Der lange Weg zur ersten christlich-muslimischen Kita [The long journey to the first Christian Muslim kindergarten]

IslamIQ (2022), Sprachwandel in Moscheen – eine Analyse [Language Change in Mosques – an Analysis].

Max Planck Institute Blog (2022), Language change and persistence within Turkish mosques in Germany

Podcasts

Theo.Logik – Religion Inside (2022), “Mosques and Muslim Youth in Germany” in Kirchenaustritte - und dann? [What comes after leaving the Church?], Bayerischer Rundfunk (Bavarian Broadcasting).