Mosque Associations and the Expansion of Socio-Religious Infrastructure

Mosque associations represent the social and organisational core of Muslim religious life in Germany. Their primary goal is both the practice of religion and the transfer of religious knowledge to its members, irrespective of their specific shape (e.g. organisation affiliation, ethnic composition, etc.). More recently, sociologists draw attention to the increasing multifunctionality of the mosque associations, which also offer leisure activities and courses with an orientation towards the German society, like e.g. German language courses. Previous studies and my own research suggest that this development is a result from both internal changes (demographic change, unemployment among members) and changing expectations of their environment, which are closely linked to the widespread integration debate.

However, a closer look on the expectations of the environment reveals a paradoxical situation.On the one hand Muslims are expected to open up for the German society by offering services which go beyond religious activities and support the socio-economic advancement of their members. On the other hand authorities and other urban actors are sceptical about additional services within the mosques as they fear that the infrastructure might increase segregation of the Muslim population and thereby endanger integration.

The present paper examines how mosque associations deal with the conflict between their own plans and the contradictory expectations of their urban environment. I have conducted case studies about mosque building conflicts in several cities of North-Rhine-Westphalia. The empirical findings are based on expert-interviews with representatives of Muslim communities and churches, neighbourhood associations, administrations and politicians. Furthermore, I have analysed newspapers and different documents (statutes, city council records, declarations) and I did participant observation in council meetings and neighbourhood assemblies. A case comparison shows, from the bottom-up-perspective, how different actor-constellations and local systems of relevance affect the development of the local Muslim organisations.