The Religious and Spiritual Lives of Transnational Young People of African Migrant Background

The role of religion in the construction of youth identities and belonging, especially those of migrant background, is often the subject of policy and public concern across Europe and Africa. Major international events such as the terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 in the USA and the London bombings of 7 July 2005, and the growing interest from academics and policy makers, have brought religion to the fore from the confines of the private sphere. Research on migrant religions indicates that in Europe, unlike in the United States, religion and Islam in particular is considered a barrier rather than a bridge to integration. Within the context of the rise of religious extremism and public debates about migration-related diversity and security, our focus on transnational young people of African migrant background directly responds to these policy issues and debates. Previous research and existing policy discourses tend to adopt a binary approach to the movement and identities of young people of migrant background in terms of 'first- and second-generation' or 'left-behind', host or home, Global North or Global South. Meanwhile, the experiences and perspectives of young people of African migrant background themselves remain little understood.

This project aims to analyse the role of religion and spirituality in constructing youth identities and a sense of belonging among transnational young people (aged 15-35) of Nigerian and Zimbabwean migrant backgrounds in London and Birmingham (UK), Lagos (Nigeria), Harare (Zimbabwe) and Johannesburg (South Africa). We will investigate young people categorised as 'first- and second-generation' and 'left behind', combining migrant-origin and migrant-receiving countries. In doing so, the project will advance our knowledge of the ways migration impacts young people's religious and spiritual lives at home and abroad.

The project will generate important new academic insights through its synthesis of theoretical perspectives on transnationalism, the mobility turn and lived religion. It will make two distinctive contributions to the field of religion and migration by: (1) going beyond previous research and existing policy discourses that adopt a binary approach to movement and identities of young people of migrant background primarily in terms of 'first- and second-generation' or 'left-behind', Global North or Global South in order to emphasise the multi-directional movements of young people, ideas and religious practices; (2) shifting away from the dominant focus on organised religion towards a focus on 'lived religion' which allows for an exploration of young people's everyday practices and identities.

The project brings together international scholars and key stakeholders interested in the study of religion and migration between the UK and Africa. The fieldwork sites include four countries (the responsible institution in brackets): United Kingdom (University of Glasgow), Nigeria (University of Calabar), Zimbabwe (University of Zimbabwe) and South Africa (University of Pretoria) and five cities: London, Birmingham, Harare, Johannesburg and Lagos. The study will focus on young people living in urban neighbourhoods and practitioners of Christian, Muslim and African Indigenous Religions faiths.

In contexts of increasing migration-related diversity, where polarisation in society over religious diversity is growing, the project will shed light on how religion and migration have affected the identities and sense of belonging of young people of African migrant backgrounds in order to contribute to building bridges, informing debates and defusing contestation with the insertion of research-based insights. This study will add value to the existing efforts by creating in-depth knowledge on migration and religion, using its findings to understand better transnational migration processes and the social cohesion of the increasingly multi-religious and multi-cultural UK and African societies.