Religion and Adolescent Immigrants in Italy: A Case of Identifying with or Turning away from their Communities?

This article deals with a specific element of immigrant identity in host societies: the religious element, which is increasingly important in the definition of integration paths. I examine how the religiousness of two youth immigrant groups in Italy (Filipinos and Moroccans) is related to multiple c...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of contemporary religion 2010-10, Vol.25 (3), p.419-436
Main Author: Ricucci, Roberta
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Acculturation
Attachment
Christian churches
Community
Cultural identity
Ethnicity
Identity
Immigrants
Italy
Noncitizens
Religion
Religiosity
Religious affiliation
Religious communities
Religious practice
Social identity
Social integration
Teenagers
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Summary:This article deals with a specific element of immigrant identity in host societies: the religious element, which is increasingly important in the definition of integration paths. I examine how the religiousness of two youth immigrant groups in Italy (Filipinos and Moroccans) is related to multiple collective identities (origin, new country, European, and cosmopolitan), attachment to one or both cultures (original or new), and acculturation as a process realized through a variety of domains in personal and social life. Firstly, I seek to ascertain some of the major subjective factors motivating church/mosque attendance and involvement. Secondly, by means of participant observation, in-depth interviews, and analysis of the rhetoric within the religious communities, I explore and describe (by comparing and contrasting) the various ways in which ethnic religiousness contributes to the construction and support of ethnic identity and consciousness among the two groups.
ISSN:1353-7903
1469-9419
DOI:10.1080/13537903.2010.516555