Islam in the Age of Globalization: Diaspora, Identity Formation, and Cultural Negotiation

Abstract

The current research is a systematic review of how globalization has influenced the construction of religious, cultural, and social identities within Muslim diaspora communities. With a narrow scope of literature published in the past 10-25 years, the research is a synthesis of the evidence on the topic of transnationalism, hybridity, and identity negotiation in multicultural and secular host societies. It is seen that Muslim identities within the diaspora are dynamic and constantly negotiated, as there are two forces at work: to maintain the religious tradition and to conform to the secular standards. The study highlighted that some of the themes are contributively connected to transnational networks in preserving cultural continuity, especially amongst the younger generations, and the great difficulties of Islamophobia and political marginalization, considering the hybrid nature of identities. Additionally, the analysis showcased that identity development is not a passive process but an active, dynamic negotiation, which is based on religious adaptation, cultural conservation, and is a reaction to the external socio-political pressures. The review is relevant to the bigger debates about Islam and globalization by pointing to the ambiguities of the diasporic identity and the possible future research directions, such as comparing the experiences of second-generation Muslims and the ultimate impacts of discrimination on religious identity.