Middle Eastern Christian spaces in Europe: multi-sited and super-diverse

Lise Paulsen Galal, Alistair Hunter, Fiona McCallum, Sara Cathrine Lei Sparre, Marta Wozniak

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

Despite little scholarly attention, Middle Eastern Christian Churches are a well-established element of the European religious landscape. Based on collaborative research, this article examines how three mutual field visits facilitated a deeper understanding of the complexity that characterises church establishment and activities among Iraqi, Assyrian/Syriac and Coptic Orthodox Christians in the UK, Sweden and Denmark. Exploring analytical dimensions of space, diversity, size, and minority position we identify three positions of Middle Eastern Christians: in London as the epitome of super-diversity, in Copenhagen as a silenced minority within a minority, and in Södertälje as a visible majority within a minority.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Religion in Europe
Volume9
Issue number1
Pages (from-to)1-25
Number of pages25
ISSN1874-8910
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016

Keywords

  • Identity formation
  • Middle Eastern Christians
  • migrant churches
  • multi-sited fieldwork
  • super-diversity

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