Religious Identity Research Articles

“We Met in a Place that Fostered Exploring”: Campus Environments that Influence Boundary-Crossing Friendships

AbstractThe college years represent a prime opportunity for students to develop prosocial skills through friendships that cross social boundaries (i.e., in which the two friends differ on at least one aspect of sociocultural identity such as race, political affiliation, or religion). By cultivating empathy and reducing social stratification, these friendships may serve as a needed remedy for the ongoing and deepening tribalism dominating the current U.S. political climate, ultimately advancing a more justice-oriented society. We utilized data from 55 focus groups with 268 participants at 18 U.S. institutions of various sizes, locations, and affiliations to explore how campus environments and experiences influence college students’ boundary-crossing friendships. Participants highlighted how aspects of their campus climates (size, structural diversity, norms, and identity support) encouraged as well as discouraged crossing social boundaries. They discussed how programs (curricular and co-curricular), spaces (residence and dining halls, prayer spaces), and informal social opportunities (such as studying, dining, socializing, or having meaningful conversations) helped them develop and deepen friendships across the social boundaries of religious, secular, and spiritual (RSS) identity; political beliefs; race/ethnicity; and other identities. They also described the power of early campus experiences in setting the stage for crossing social boundaries. Our findings add texture to prior quantitative research documenting the power of campus conditions and environments for fostering friendship across social boundaries, and they illuminate effective ways for colleges and universities to create environments and experiences that provide students with opportunities and reasons to connect and build friendships that bridge social divisions.

Rediscovering the shtetl in the late Soviet period: the Leningrad Jewish Independent Movement of the 1980s and the re-establishment of Jewish studies

ABSTRACT Beginning in the early 1980s, Leningrad-based Jewish intellectuals began to explore the settlements of the former Pale of Settlement in search of their ethnic and religious identity. Starting in 1982, Ilya Dvorkin, a physicist by training, together with a few friends, undertook several such shtetl expeditions to the Belarusian and Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republics. They visited the hometowns of their ancestors and explored important sites of Hasidism. Based on interviews and extensive archival material, this article investigates Jewish encounters with the abandoned material heritage of the shtetl and confrontations with the immaterial narratives of the past.

Comparative Study to Understand Religiosity between Millennials and Gen z in India

The present study tries to quantitatively understand the religiosity among the millennials and Gen Z population in India. As per the current scenario there is a worldwide decrease in religiosity or religious affiliation among millennials and Gen Y. This paper tries to understand this trend among Indian millennials and the Gen Z population. Religion being a sensitive and merely studied concept in the country this research gives a novel and brief outlook of this concept. Forthe research N=140 participants (37 males, 103 females), comprising of Millennials (n=70) and Gen Z (n=70) willingly gave their consent to be a part of the study. The paper analyses the five dimensions of religiosity among participants using The Centrality of Religiosity Scale (Huber & Huber, 2012). In addition to generation change, the study also tries to understand the impact of, gender difference, profession, and, domicile on religiosity. Findings state that religiosity between millennials and gen z do not differ from each other. Key words: Religiosity, millennials, Gen z, Indian population

Supplemental Material for Discrimination, Religious Affiliation, and Arterial Stiffness in African American Women and Men

Supplemental Material for Discrimination, Religious Affiliation, and Arterial Stiffness in African American Women and Men

Reincarnation and Identity: A Multidisciplinary Exploration of Druze Narratives

The book Druze Reincarnation Narratives: Previous Life Memories Discourses and the Construction of Identities, edited by Gebhard Fartacek, offers an interdisciplinary exploration of the Druze belief in reincarnation (taqammuṣ) and the phenomenon of Nutq, where individuals recall previous lives. Scholars in anthropology, religious studies, and related fields contribute to understanding how these beliefs shape Druze social structures, personal identities, and community cohesion. The forum includes reviews by Maha Natoor, Dmitry Sevruk, and Jens Kreinath. Natoor appreciates the book's accessibility and balanced presentation of Druze reincarnation narratives while raising ethical concerns about anonymity and the use of religious texts. Sevruk commends the clear scientific language and interdisciplinary approach, emphasizing the book's contributions to Druze history and culture and suggesting further exploration of the psychological mechanisms behind reincarnation beliefs. Kreinath praises the detailed ethnographic insights and methodological rigor, noting researchers' challenges in engaging with the Druze community. He also critiques that some contributions focus on broader social, cultural, and political contexts rather than directly addressing reincarnation. Overall, the book provides valuable insights into the resilience and adaptability of the Druze in preserving their unique religious identity amidst broader societal changes.

Интересы Саудовской Аравии в Центральной Азии в контексте внутренних и внешних реалий

The article analyzes the interests of Saudi Arabia in the Central Asian region taking into account the internal modernization processes in the Kingdom and in the context of global geopolitical turbulence. It is proved that at the present stage Saudi Arabia makes a lot of efforts to gain a foothold in Central Asia as an influential player using its religious authority along with financial and economic instruments of influence. The emphasis is placed on the fact that with the coming to power of the young reformer King Mohammed bin Salman Saudi Arabia’s foreign policy in the Central Asian direction changed from religious identity to a pragmatic approach to interaction with the countries of the region. In this context, the Kingdom positions itself as an attractive economic and investment partner. It is emphasized that the main ideological competitor of Saudi Arabia in Central Asia is Iran whose regional activity alarms the Saudis and encourages the Kingdom’s leadership to develop measures to contain it. It is concluded that Saudi Arabia actively joined the geopolitical processes in Central Asia symbolizing a new stage of the “Big Game” and confidently tries to integrate into regional energy and transport and communication projects through its generous investment injections.

The Current Role of Analytical Psychology in Maintaining Fictitious Boundaries that are Promoted through the Race Lie: A call to dismantle the virtual wall that exists through attitudes of white supremacy.

In 1928, the American Anthropological Association declared that "Anthropology provided no scientific basis for discrimination against any people on the ground of racial inferiority, religious affiliation, or linguistic heritage" (Guthrie, 1976/1998/2004, p. 30). In 1945, Jung denounced race theory as a pseudo-science. In 1950, UNESCO released its statement denouncing race. Long discredited as scientifically invalid, the race concept still holds uncanny value and significance for Americans and Europeans. In effect, the concept seems to be mysteriously linked to the limited accessibility and the limited economic support that is allotted to people of colour, internationally. This paper will explore the global implications of Jung's expressed attitude towards people of colour prior to 1945, which I identify as an attitude of white supremacy, an attitude that stands in direct contrast to the analytical ethos, as expressed by the International Association for Analytical Psychology (IAAP). This attitude may promote the continuance of racialized beliefs and behaviours within the planning and provision of care to individuals in need of medical and mental health services. It is requested that a written acknowledgment of harm be added to the works of C. G. Jung.

Jewish Americans’ identity salience and effects on attitudes toward diversity

Although Jewish people in the US are often racialized (i.e., perceived by others) as White, Jewish Americans vary in the extent to which they consider themselves White, and in how strongly they identify with being Jewish. Based on prior findings that identifying with a White ethnic subgroup (e.g., Irish, Italian) can reduce prejudice toward racial and ethnic minorities, we predicted that strongly identified Jewish Americans would exhibit less intergroup bias than weakly identified Jewish Americans. For the present research, we recruited participants whose religious affiliation was Jewish but who self-identified as racially White. In a preregistered correlational study, Jewish identification was associated with lower bias, whereas White identification was associated with greater bias, toward Whites relative to racial/ethnic minorities. The relationship between Jewish identification and intergroup bias was accounted for by high Jewish identifiers’ perceptions that they could personally contribute to diversity in groups and organizations. Across three meta-analyzed experiments, participants whose religious minority (Jewish) identity was made salient exhibited less intergroup bias than did control participants, and in one preregistered experiment, perceived personal contributions to diversity mediated the effect of condition on intergroup bias. Implications for the forms of ethnic identity that predict more versus less intergroup bias in an increasingly multicultural society are discussed.

The Religious Sacred in the Novels of Khudair Falih Al-Zaidi

The religious sanctity constitutes a spiritual and moral value in the life of the religious person from ancient times until our present era, regardless of religions and backgrounds. For the individual, it is considered a powerful energy that is distinguished by its presence from other ordinary things, as it constitutes the religious identity of that society. Khudair Falih Al-Zaidi is one of the writers whose literary and fictional productions were not devoid of mention, criticism, and treatment of it, and who extended his sensory and emotional perceptions from it and emanated from the core of the environment or, let us say, the society to which he belongs. Since every society has sacred things of a religious nature that are appreciated and respected, especially whether in themselves, such as (God Almighty, the holiness of the heavenly books, the prophets, and the family of the Prophet) or those whose holiness is believed. In a society as diverse in culture and religions as the writer’s Iraqi environment, and thus its diverse sanctities of beliefs, rites, and rituals.

Radio Free Europe’s Polish Broadcasting Service vis-à-vis the Millennium and Church - State Relations (1965-1966)

This article presents an analysis of selected broadcasts by Radio Free Europe’s Polish Broadcasting Service on the 1966 celebration of the Millennium of the Christianisation of Poland, against the background of the relationship between the Church and state. The source material consists of programmes available online on the Radio Liberty website and articles published in the monthly magazine Na Antenie/On Air from 1965 to 1966. The author's intention is to show the role and meaning of radio broadcasts vis-à-vis the Millennium Poloniae celebrations, which were of a religious and political nature. The radio station, under the direction of Jan Nowak-Jeziorański, defended the authority of Primate Stefan Wyszyński against communist propaganda, while serving as the only source of information for audiences in the country with respect to the Novena initiated in 1956, which culminated in the Millennium. Aside from RFE’s political objectives, the broadcasts served to counter the propaganda and the campaign against the Church and to break the media monopoly in the People’s Republic of Poland. Having a formative and integrative character, they also contributed to the preservation of the listeners’ religious identity.

The Illusory Health Beliefs Scale: preliminary validation using exploratory factor and Rasch analysis.

Illusory health beliefs are ill-founded, erroneous notions about well-being. They are important as they can influence allied attitudes, actions, and behaviors to the detriment of personal and societal welfare. Noting this, and the prevalence of paranormal beliefs in contemporary Western society, researchers developed the Paranormal Health Beliefs Scale (PHBS). Modification of the PHBS for use with a United Kingdom-based sample resulted in the instrument broadening to incorporate illusory rather than merely paranormal health beliefs. The present study psychometrically assessed the emergent Illusory Health Beliefs Scale (IHBS). The principal objective was to validate the IHBS using a large, representative sample. Eight hundred and fifty participants (360 males, 482 females, eight non-binary) completed the IHBS alongside instruments assessing theoretically associated constructs (i.e., magical thinking, faith in scientifically unsubstantiated notions, and forms of self-referential, intuitive causation). Exploratory factor analysis revealed the existence of six meaningful IHBS dimensions: Religious/Spiritual, Superstition, Precognitive, Health Myths, Skepticism, and Health Pseudoscience. The IHBS demonstrated satisfactory reliability and convergent validity with theoretically aligned constructs. Rasch analysis at the subscale level revealed good item/person fit and item/person reliability, unidimensionality, and equivalency of items across subgroups (gender and religious affiliation). Analysis confirmed the IHBS was an effective measure of illusory health beliefs. However, researchers should undertake further work to refine the scale and evaluate its performance across different samples and time points.

Transcending Religious Identity

This paper aims at exploring the evolution of religion and its relevance in contemporary society. It focuses on the journey of Sanatana Dharma, popularly known as Hinduism: how misbalance in religious and sociocultural life led it to divisive nature, and becoming a victim of hypocrisy and blind faith resulting in repulsion; how it became a strong political tool; how it affects identity of people; and why people prefer to be called humanists instead of being its followers in order to transcend their religious identity. The theories of the origin of religion have been explored along with some religious scriptures and their cultural significance in order to better understand the present relevance of religion.

Nilai Islam dalam Tradisi Haul Masyarakat Muslim Desa Gubugsari

Haul tradition is one of the religious rituals that is still preserved by the Muslim community in Gubugsari village. Haul is a commemoration of the death of someone who is considered to have privileges, such as ulama, kiai, or respected community leaders. This ritual is generally carried out every year on the day of the death of the person being commemorated. In the context of Gubugsari village, the haul tradition has become an inseparable part of the life of the local Muslim community. This ritual is not only a form of respect for the commemorated person, but also a forum for the community to strengthen ties, strengthen religious identity, and preserve Islamic values that have taken root in local culture. As the haul tradition in the village of Gubugsari, Pegandon Subdistrict, Kendal Regency, which until now still carries out the haul tradition because the person who is honored is mbah Abdul Wahab as a respected figure by the Muslim community, especially in the village. To see the values of these traditions, researchers are interested in further examining the values of the haul tradition of cengklian and ndangdoan in the socio-religious life of the Candimulyo village community, Sedan sub-district, Rembang district. The method used in this research is qualitative method, data collection techniques in this research using observation, documentation and interviews. The subjects in this study were the people of Gubusari village, both those who joined the committee and those involved in the haul tradition event The results of this study indicate that the haul tradition has a form of a series of haul event contents, namely the practices performed during the pilgrimage as a medium for the tradition. The benefits of religious values are increasing our devotion to Allah SWT

Christian and Indigenous: Multiple “Religions” in Contemporary Toraja Funerals

The theoretical framework of “religion” is problematic, especially in studying non-Western realities. In the field, I often encountered its Indonesian and Toraja most common equivalents—agama and aluk. There were also categories assigned to the realm of “culture” rather than “religion”. Toraja funeral ceremonies, which originated from the indigenous religion and became predominantly Christianized, are defined in religious and/or cultural categories. How do these related categories manifest in the utterances of the ritual actors of Toraja funerals? This article is based primarily on interviews; it refers to statements from 34 purposively chosen research participants. The attitudes towards the Toraja funeral tradition vary based on religious affiliation. The lines between different perspectives and categorization characteristics of Christianities and the minority indigenous religion are blurred but distinguishable.

The Performance and Soft Skills: Islamic Higher Education Institutions in Indonesia

The challenge of Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Indonesia plays a crucial role and requires enhancement. The pivotal role of HEIs in Indonesia is multifaceted. These institutions play a crucial part in shaping the country's cultural and religious identity, while also providing education that aligns with contemporary demands. This study explored the performance and soft skills among lecturers and administration staff in Islamic HEIs. The study emphasizes performance and soft skills based on managerial effectiveness in Islamic HEIs in Indonesia. The performance and soft skills explored from critical analyses of global literature. The study was conducted in Lombok, Indonesia, among 3 Islamic HEIs. Methods used were literature review, observation, and in-depth interviews. The software used was NVIVO 14 with the relative thematic analysis of the study. Findings on the HEIs model soft skills proposed to address enhancing administration staff performance and lecturer performance. By nurturing these soft skills, organizations thrive when they cultivate alignment, creativity, adaptability, and effective management and avoid mushroom management. Mushroom management in the context of organizational management and leadership styles represents a management style that is characterized by secrecy, lack of transparency, and limited employee involvement in decision-making processes. The results proposed the model to address enhancing administration staff performance through alignment value, change management, and Islamic leadership. The model addresses enhancing lecturer performance through alignment value, change management, Islamic leadership, and divergent thinking. By nurturing these soft skills, organizations thrive when they cultivate alignment, creativity, adaptability, and effective performance management. Administration staff performance impacts the lecturer’s performance besides the lecturer’s performance itself. Research suggests that organizations can benefit greatly from nurturing soft skills and adopting more transparent and inclusive leadership practices to avoid mushroom management. The practical implication of this research proposed model for enhancing administration staff and lecturer performance in Islamic higher education institutions (HEIs) includes administration staff performance enhancement through aligning individual roles with organizational objectives, implementing change management strategies, monitoring performance through key indicators, and applying Islamic leadership principles. Lecturer Performance enhancement through aligning course objectives with institutional goals encouraging research alignment, promoting pedagogical innovations, and fostering visionary leadership.

Beyond unionism and nationalism: do the ‘neithers’ want a border poll and a United Ireland?

ABSTRACT This article draws upon new data from a recent Economic and Social Research Council funded project, Beyond Unionism and Nationalism, 1 to examine whether electors in Northern Ireland identifying as neither nationalist/republican nor unionist/loyalist, the ‘neithers’, desire a referendum on Northern Ireland’s constitutional status (often labelled a border poll) on whether it should remain part of the UK or form part of a United Ireland and which of those two options they prefer. With surveys of public opinion and election results suggesting there are now three minorities in the region, unionists, nationalists and ‘neithers’, the views of the lattermost category may be vital in determining the arrival and outcome of a referendum. Utilising the largest n (2,045) set of face-to-face interviews with ‘neithers’ yet undertaken, the article suggests that their low levels of electoral activity extend to a current lack of enthusiasm for both an exercise in self-determination and a United Ireland. The piece also indicates, however, that national identification and religious affiliation are significant attitudinal indicators even among a group of electors located beyond the traditional bloc divide.

Towards a livelihood-interdependence approach to framing adaptation in research and practice: evidence from farmers’ and herders’ relations in Northern Ghana

ABSTRACT Changing farmer–herder relations (FHR) are central to the social dynamics of climate change adaptation in African drylands, involving conflict and cooperation. While substantial literature has built a case for increased conflict of various kinds in West African drylands due to climate change stressors, this literature does not yet fully reflect the growing importance of more cooperative and interdependent elements of FHR. This study addresses this research gap through a case study of Gushiegu and Karaga Districts in Northern Ghana. Our analysis found growing cooperation between farmers and herders driven by livelihood diversification, sociocultural conditions such as increasing intermarriage, religious affiliation and the emergence of hybrid conflict resolution mechanisms that reflect a process of institutional bricolage. This deepening interdependence manifests in multiple ways, including knowledge exchange, management of common property resources and the strengthening of “bridging” forms of social capital. Our findings suggest a need to reframe adaptation in research, policy and practice to emphasize these beneficial forms of interdependence in FHR.

Polygamy among Muallaf in Manado: Islamic Legal Perspectives and Social Challenges

The practice of polygamy is often a controversial topic and raises questions about religious and cultural identity. Although Islamic law permits polygamy under certain conditions, how this is understood and applied by the convert community in a Christian setting is complex. This study explores the dynamics of polygamy among converts (Muallaf) in the multicultural environment of Manado, Indonesia, from the perspective of Islam and society. Using an empirical normative approach, the study involved 35 informants, consisting of 25 Muallaf who were married in Islam and ten who were engaged in polygamous marriages. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, and the analysis identified common patterns and significant findings, focusing on factors influencing attitudes towards polygamy. The results revealed differences in views among Muallaf regarding polygamy; some accept this practice as part of Islamic teachings, while others reject it as contrary to their previous values. Factors such as religious interpretation, pre-conversion values, and legal and social barriers affected their attitudes toward polygamy. The problematic legal hurdles of obtaining polygamy permits in court highlight additional challenges in implementing this practice in Manado. Nevertheless, polygamy remains a controversial issue in this predominantly Christian society, reflecting the complexity of the interaction between religion and culture. This research provides important insights into how polygamy is perceived and practiced in multicultural environments and the challenges Muallaf faces in understanding and applying Islamic law in their social contexts.

Pendidikan Karakter Religius Melalui Budaya Literasi Al-Qur’an Di Madrasah Aliyah Swasta Amaliyah Sunggal

This study explores the implementation of religious character education through the culture of Quran literacy in Amaliyah Sunggal Private Islamic Senior High School. The main objective of this study is to identify and analyze how the culture of Quran literacy contributes to the formation of students' religious character and its impact on their learning and daily lives. The research method used is qualitative descriptive, involving observation, interviews, and documentation studies. Data analysis begins with data reduction, data presentation and drawing conclusions. Then to ensure the validity of the data, this study uses triangulation in order to increase the accuracy and credibility of the findings. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the culture of Quran literacy has a positive impact on the development of students' religious character, increasing discipline, understanding of Islamic values, social sensitivity, and strengthening religious identity. However, this study also identified obstacles such as lack of student interest, limited teacher resources, dense curriculum, and negative influences of the social and technological environment. Strategies involving improving teacher competence, effective time management, and support from parents and the community are needed to overcome these obstacles.

Who am I? whom can I love? and why me?: Queer Christians and the spirituality of struggle

How do queer Christians navigate the tensions between faith and sexuality? This article points to the spirituality of struggle as an answer. In the context of the Philippines, a society known for its religious and moral conservatism, we define this spirituality as an ongoing process in which queer Christians aspire to discover and fulfill God’s will for their lives. We explain this spirituality in the form of three questions we gathered from our interlocutors: Who am I? Whom can I love? And why me? Taken together, these questions reflect the deepest concerns they have about faith and sexuality. Recognizing the spirituality of struggle offers significant contributions to studying religion and gender in the Philippines: by recognizing queer religious identities as dynamic, negotiated acts steeped in ambivalence and by serving as an empirical counterpoint to the militant Christianity in the country. These insights are drawn from semi-structured interviews with sixty-six young adults who self-identify as non-heterosexual men. They are also from different Christian denominations in the Greater Manila Area.