Religion as a Political Resource

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XV

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 17-26

3. Three approaches to the political involvement of migrants – a short overview over the state of research and some theoretical considerations

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 27-58

4. Methodology

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 59-79

5. Migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Berlin and Paris

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 81-132

6. Religion as an organisational resource: Religious self-organisation of migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Berlin and Paris

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 133-172

7. “Jesus was a revolutionary”: Religion as structural and symbolic political resource

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 173-216

8. Conclusion

   • Miriam Schader

   Pages 217-229

9. Back Matter

   Pages 231-263

   PDF

Miriam Schader shows that migrants can use religion as a resource for political involvement in their (new) country of residence – but under certain circumstances only. The author analyses the role religious networks and symbols play for the politicization and participation of Muslim and Christian migrants from sub-Saharan Africa in Berlin and Paris. Against the widely held belief that Islam is a ’political religion’ in itself, this study demonstrates that Christian migrants draw on their religion for political action more easily than their Muslim counterparts. It also highlights that it is not religion in general which helps migrants get politically active, but particular forms of religious organisations and particular theological elements. 

• Political Involvement
• African Migrants
• Network Analysis
• Islam
• Religious Organizations

• Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity, Göttingen, Germany

  Miriam Schader

Miriam Schader is a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity.

Policies and ethics