Religion and Cities

Cities are becoming more and more religiously diverse. They are also the main site of religiously motivated disputes and contestations in the public sphere (e.g., conflicts over the building of and debates over the wearing of religious dress in municipal buildings).

The researchers associated with this theme investigate the presence and regulation of religion and religious diversity in cities. They focus on urban processes of religious change, the expression of religiosity in the public space, the governance of religion, and the ways in which the local regulation interacts with regional and national administrations. We explore how religion and religious diversity are contested and negotiated in urban public spaces. Although predominantly using a sociological perspective, we also draw on approaches from neighboring disciplines, such as geography, urban studies, religious studies, anthropology and migration studies, and combine different methodological approaches to better capture these complex realities.

Researcher associated to this research theme: Dr Julia Martínez-Ariño