Abstract
In this chapter, we use a comparative approach to explore the nuanced experiences of disposition in various Muslim communities in diverse social, cultural, and policy contexts. Through a sample of cases from different countries in Northwest Europe (Ireland, Scotland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Sweden and Norway), we see how Muslim communities negotiate burial space in countries where Islamic burial is framed as a ‘minority’ practice. We first outline Islamic deathscapes in this region and locate this within literature on burial practices, identity, and belonging. We then explore three specific issues within this: the choice of whether migrant Muslims are buried in their country of origin or the town they are living in; the physical segregation and experience of Islamic burial spaces; and Islamic memorial and grave aesthetics. This reveals that current Islamic burial in Northwest Europe is not simply a blending of minority and majority norms, but a much more complex, fluid, and responsive field.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | New Perspectives on Urban Deathscapes |
Subtitle of host publication | Continuity, Change and Contestation |
Editors | Danielle House, Mariske Westendorp |
Publisher | Edward Elgar Publishing |
Pages | 124-143 |
Number of pages | 20 |
ISBN (Electronic) | 9781802202397 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781802202380 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Jan 2023 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© Danielle House and Mariske Westendorp 2023.
Keywords
- Burial
- Deathscapes
- Identity
- Minority burial practices
- Muslim
- Northwest Europe