Religion as a path to civic engagement

Abstract

Dreams of global citizenship have long captured the Western imagination, but religion is rarely seen as a possible contributor to its emergence. This paper1 1. God Needs No Passport: Immigrants and Changing the American Religious Landscape (Levitt 2007 Levitt , P. 2007 God Needs No Passport: How Immigrants are Changing the American Religious Landscape , New York : The New Press . [Google Scholar]). uses the case of transnational migrants – potential global citizens par excellence – to explore the relationship between religion and politics across borders. Based on a study of Indian Hindus, Pakistani Muslims, Irish Catholics and Brazilian Protestant immigrants living in the metropolitan Boston area, it examines how these citizens of the world actually think about who they are and what they want to do about it. How does religion figure in the rights and responsibilities of global citizenship, where are these fulfilled and who benefits from them? I argue that, while a small group claims an exclusive variety of religious global citizenship and is concerned only about helping those who share their point of view, the vast majority are open to partnerships around major social issues, such as education, health and employment. Religion is an under-utilized, positive force that social scientists and activists can no longer afford to ignore.

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