Between Intensification and Relativisation

Syrian refugees, who arrived in Austria, Germany and Switzerland in the wake of the Arab Spring and the war, represent the largest or second largest group of asylum seekers in these countries. Since then, the religion of the refugees has increasingly become the focus of attention in the political discourse in these countries. Muslim asylum seekers in particular are portrayed as a potential threat to security, while priority should be given to accepting Christians. Anti-Muslim discourses are now shaping the general perception of refugees. Despite this high level of attention to the religion of refugees, however, neither the characteristic differences between Muslim and Christian refugees nor the processes of change in the religiosity of refugees in the course of the migration process have been scientifically researched. The project aims to close this research gap. The aim of the project is to investigate the changes in individual and group-related religiosity in the course of flight and migration from a country-comparative perspective. This will be done by researching Syrian refugees who have been admitted to Austria, Germany and Switzerland since 2011. In particular, we want to identify the central patterns and mechanisms of the change process. The project assumes that religious change moves along a spectrum: Religious beliefs, religious practices and community bindings can intensify or be relativized, i.e., become stronger or weaker, in the course of flight and migration. We assume that in this process of change, systemic structures of the host countries also have an impact on the changes in religiosity, i.e., the country-specific migration and welfare regimes, the politicization of Islamophobic discourses and institutional framework conditions for religious minorities also shape the change of religiosity. In addition to the effects of these macro-factors, we also focus on socio-demographic characteristics of the interviewees, such as age, gender, but also the respective migration biography, religious affiliation and its status in the host country. Methodologically, we work with the methods of qualitative social research, i.e., with a combination of semi-structured and expert interviews as well as photojournalistic documentation (photovoice approach). In this way, we ensure that our hypotheses are tested and that the interviewees` own perspectives, which are often invisible in research, can become visible. In addition to the scientific insights into the changes in religiosity among Syrian refugees, the project is also of societal relevance. By delivering knowledge for a more evidence-based debate on the religion of refugees, it can also contribute to current migration and integration policies.