Lost at sea, saved by Allah: religious coping on a migrant journey from Cape Verde to Brazil

Abstract

ABSTRACT African migrants are taking longer and riskier journeys in the search of new destinations and improved opportunities. Elevated risks lead to feelings of stress, anxiety, and trauma, which makes the question of how migrants cope during such journeys an increasingly important area of research. Current research on migrant religious coping has focused on its use prior to departure and post-arrival. Few studies, however, have considered the role of religious coping during the process of migration. Based on interview data of three African shipwreck survivors travelling from Cape Verde to Brazil, this article discusses how they used religious coping as a positive coping strategy during a month spent lost on the Atlantic Ocean. The use of religious coping strategies directly after arrival is also explored. Through the analysis of this extreme case, the article contributes to the literatures on Muslim migrant religious coping and South-South migration from Africa to South America.