Ethnicity Negotiations: Strategies of Young Muslims and Christians in Oslo

Abstract

The article explores the different ways young Muslims and Christians relate to existing forms of categorisation based on ethnicity. Two questions are posed: 1) How do young Muslims and Christians negotiate ethnic boundaries related to the religion, citizenship, language and traditions of their parents’ homeland, and 2) What strategies do young people use to reinforce or overcome these ethnic boundaries? The data in this article derives from fieldwork in four immigrant congregations in Oslo – two Muslim and two Christian. The material consists of 25 semi-structured interviews, notes from observations and various types of written material. The participants are 16–35 years of age. The findings suggest that most youths downplay the importance of nationality, language and traditions by emphasising religion and other identity markers that are of greater importance to them. Nevertheless, far more Muslim youths downplay the importance of ethnicity than their Christian peers. Keywords Negotiation strategy Christian and Muslim Youth religion ethnic boundaries

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