Comparing social capital among Muslims, Immigrants, and Americans: Does origin and religious affiliation matter?

Abstract

This study compares social capital, including community engagement and volunteering, among Muslim immigrants, non-Muslim immigrants, and Americans using nationally representative data from the Current Population Survey: Volunteering and Civic Life Supplement in 2017, 2019 and 2021. The study uses a non-experimental associational research design and conducts a binary logistic regression analysis with an overall sample size of 349,592 (3781 being Muslim immigrants). Results indicate that Muslim immigrants are less likely to get together with other people from their neighborhood or volunteer for an organization or association than non-Muslim immigrants and Americans. Muslim and non-Muslim immigrants are less likely to belong to any groups, organizations, or associations than Americans. There is no statistically significant difference between Muslim immigrants, non-Muslim immigrants, and Americans in regards to their likelihood of attending public meetings or interacting with people from a different racial, ethnic, or cultural background from theirs. This study contributes to the social capital literature by differentiating nationality groups based on religious affiliation and finding that stratification occurs for underprivileged country of origin groups. We recommend that resources be devoted towards Muslim immigrants for organizing civic organizations, joining mainstream civic organizations, and interventions by committed institutional agents to reduce stratification between Muslim immigrants, non-Muslim immigrants, and Americans.