Muslim Volunteering in the West, 1st ed. 2020 Between Islamic Ethos and Citizenship New Directions in Islam Series

This edited volume explores various facets of Muslims? civic engagement in Western post-secular societies, fundamentally challenging simplistic boundaries between Islamic ethical conduct and liberal-democratic norms and practice.

Bringing together scholars from sociology, anthropology, and Islamic theology, the collection offers sound theoretical and empirical elaborations on the complex ways in which Islamic piety, principles and norms interact with, and shape, Muslims? everyday practice of volunteering as a performance of active citizenship in liberal societies.

The contributions cover diverse manifestations of Muslim volunteering in North America, Europe and Australia, from environmentalism to mental health volunteering, and critically examine the national and global socio-political context within which certain forms of Muslims? civic engagement are viewed with skepticism and suspicion. It will be of use to students and scholars across sociology, political science, community studies and Islamic studies, with a focus on migrant integration, diaspora studies, and inter-ethnic relations. 

1. Muslims Volunteering in the West: An introduction; Mario Peucker and Merve Reyhan Kayikci.

2. Theologisation of Volunteerism: An Islamic Perspective; Zuleyha Keskin and Salih Yucel.

3. Volunteering, Charitable Work and Muslims: Divine Inspiration, Parallel Networks and Facts on the Ground; Thijl Sunier.

4. Why do Muslims Engage in Intra-community Volunteering? Insights From a Multi-method Study in Australia; Mario Peucker.

5. Charity as Civic Participation for Dutch-Turkish Muslims; Yağız Cebecioglu.

6. In Between Two Traditions: Female Muslim Volunteers in Belgium; Merve Reyhan Kayikci.

7. Muslim Environmentalists, Activism, and Religious Duty; Rosemary Hancock.

8. When Trauma and Citizenship Intersect: British Muslims Volunteering for Mental Health Services; William Barylo.

9. Muslim American Youth and Volunteerism: Neoliberal Citizenship in the War on Terror; Sunaina Maira. 

10. Conclusion; Merve Reyhan Kayikci.

Mario Peucker is Research Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities at Victoria University, Australia.

Merve Reyhan Kayikci is Post-doctoral Research Fellow in the Department of Semitic Studies at the University of Granada, Spain. 

Offers fresh theoretical and empirical elaborations on various facets of Muslim volunteering as a religious duty and as a part of every-day community life

Shows how the Islamic faith adds new facets to the understanding of volunteering that are different, but reconcilable with the ‘active citizenship’ lens on civic engagement dominant in Western societies

Explores the ways in which Muslim communities’ practices take shape according to contextual shifts. Looking at how practices change, and how practictioners are in a constant critical engagement with religious texts, sources and interpretations.