Identity Conflict or Compatibility: A Comparison of Muslim Minorities in Five European Cities

Drawing on large-scale comparative surveys across nine sociopolitical contexts, we address the question when and why ethno-religious and city or national identities of European-born Muslims are in conflict. We argue that the sociopolitical context makes the difference between identity compatibility...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Political psychology 2016-08, Vol.37 (4), p.447-463
Main Authors: Fleischmann, Fenella, Phalet, Karen
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Cities
Conflict
Discrimination
Ethnic conflict
Ethnic identity
Identification
identity compatibility
identity conflict
identity threat
Immigration
Islam
Membership
Minority groups
Muslims
National identity
Political identity
Religion
Religion & politics
Religious identity
Residence
Social identity
Social psychology
sociopolitical context
Sociopolitical factors
Urban identity
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Summary:Drawing on large-scale comparative surveys across nine sociopolitical contexts, we address the question when and why ethno-religious and city or national identities of European-born Muslims are in conflict. We argue that the sociopolitical context makes the difference between identity compatibility or conflict and that conflict arises from perceived discrimination and related negative feelings towards the national majority. Using multigroup structural equation modelling, we examine how Turkish and Moroccan Muslims in five European cities combine their civic membership of the city and country of residence—as common identities shared with the national majority—with distinct ethnic and religious identities. In all sociopolitical contexts, participants combined significant city and national identities with strong ethnic and religious identifications. Yet, identification patterns varied between contexts from conflict (negatively correlated minority and civic identities) over compartmentalization (zero correlations) to compatibility (positive correlations). Muslims who perceived more personal discrimination were more committed to their ethnic and religious identities while simultaneously dis-identifying from their country and city. Across cities, discrimination experiences and negative majority-group evaluations explained away identity conflict.
ISSN:0162-895X
1467-9221
DOI:10.1111/pops.12278