Abstract
This paper examines how Shīʿa Muslim higher education students in the United Kingdom negotiate and reconstruct traditional models of religious authority within secular academic environments. Drawing on qualitative, sociological research, it explores how these students adapt orthopraxical performances of authority—ritual, speech, dress, and deference—to align with the expectations of Western educational and social contexts. The study situates these adaptations within the broader normative frameworks of Shīʿī authority, tracing how transnational dynamics, institutional pressures, and local cultural sensibilities shape emerging forms of religious expression and leadership. Particular attention is given to the role of gender as a salient and contested dimension in these reconstructions, influencing how authority is both embodied and received. By analysing students’ narratives and practices, the paper sheds light on how diasporic Shīʿī identity is evolving in contemporary Britain and how notions of religious authority may continue to transform within global, secular, and gender-aware contexts.
Presenters
Muhammed TajriResearch Lead in Muslims, Societies and Cultures, Islamic Sociology and Contemporary Studies, Al-Mahdi Institute, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
SHI'ISM, IDENTITY, GENDER, AUTHORITY, AGENCY
