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Project Leader: Dr. Gerdien Jonker
Promotion: DFG
Research Period: 11.2020 – 11.2022
This research takes into view mosque archives in Germany. It wants to find out how mosque archives as historical sources enrich our knowledge on the functioning of mosque communities and asks what one sees differently when looking through this particular lens.
Our starting point forms the mosque archive of the Ahmadiyya-Lahore Community in Berlin. It covers a period of almost 80 years (1928–2004), including letters and notebooks, photo- and postcard albums, correspondences, mission journeys and mission pamphlets. 2020 the find book of the archive has been published as LAB D Rep 920-16 by the National Archive of Berlin.
The project endeavours to describe this mosque archive as an overall statement. Towards that aim we ask, what was archived and by whom, how was it done, which aims mosque administrators pursued, which structures of long duration were established, and which transnational networks the archive maps. Parallel to this research, a Project Working Group will sound out the culture of safeguarding papers and documents in a range of mosques. Combining these steps, the research intends to accomplish the groundwork towards opening up mosque archives in Germany.
- Cooperation partners: Eugen-Biser-Foundation, Robert Bosch Foundation, Erlangen Center for Islam and Law in Europe EZIRE
- Head at EZIRE: Dr. Jörn Thielmann
- Promotion: Robert Bosch Foundation
- Duration: 2019 – 2021
- EZIRE Staff member: Dr. Nina Nowar
- Project homepage: islamberatung-bayern.de
- Needs analysis: https://www.eugen-biser-stiftung.de/publikationen/texte-zum-download.html
Islamic Affairs Consultancy in Bavaria is a project of the Eugen-Biser-Foundation in cooperation with the Robert Bosch Foundation and the Erlangen Center for Islam and Law in Europe EZIRE at the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg. The offer is aimed at local authorities, charities and church institutions as well as Muslim associations and organizations. Confidential, ideologically neutral and free advice is offered one-to-one on the phone, by email or on site.
For many decades, Muslim life has been a social reality in Bavarian communities: according to estimates, around 600,000 Muslims currently live in Bavaria – within a total population of 13 million. The study “Brückenbauer in Bayern”, bridge builders in Bavaria, commissioned by the Eugen-Biser-Foundation and the Robert Bosch Foundation, found that the relationship between Bavarian municipalities and Muslim organizations is often characterized by prejudices and uncertainty. At the same time, everyone involved has the same questions: what can a good coexistence look like and how does the practical implementation work? This is where the Islam consultancy in Bavaria comes in, whose consulting concept addresses the needs of those seeking advice to develop context-oriented and needs-based solutions on site together.
The goals of the Islamic Affairs Consultancy are manifold. By providing basic knowledge and demonstrating skills in counseling sessions, knowledge should be promoted and competences strengthened. Involved actors are thus supported in dealing with Muslim-influenced living environments as well as municipal structures and processes. In addition, in the symbol of bridge building, communication should be made possible – the Islamic Affairs Consultancy initiates speech and meeting occasions between the various actors, establishes contacts and brings key people together. It offers assistance in setting up, using and establishing a sustainable cooperation network on site. In addition, action strategies and solutions are to be found together with the actors involved in order to be able to answer questions and deal with specific challenges. Controversial positions in the coexistence are moderated religion-competent, if necessary, the Islamic Affairs Consultancy mediates between the conflicting parties.
The topics covered by the Islamic Affairs Consultancy in Bavaria are:
- Cooperation opportunities between municipal and Muslim actors in working groups and committees
- Participation of Muslim organizations in municipal fields of action Muslim children and adolescents in community institutions
- Muslim pastoral care, care and burials
- Age and health
- flight and migration
- Mosque construction and Muslim parish life
- dialogue projects
- Youth and education work
As well as possibly also other topics in agreement.
Media coverage of the project:
https://www.br.de/nachrichten/bayern/islamberatung-fuer-kommunen-startet-2019-in-bayern,RBS8UE7
https://www.sonntagsblatt.de/artikel/bayern/neue-islamberatung-fuer-bayern-startet-zum-1-januar
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/bayern/islam-beratung-kommunen-1.4241923
https://www.islamische-zeitung.de/biser-stiftung-startet-islamberatung-fuer-kommunen-in-bayern/