Pluriel

University platform for research on Islam

Initiated by
the Federation
of European
Catholic
Universities

Supported by
the International
Federation
of Catholic
Universities

Référence :

in Switzerland. Politikon: The IAPSS Journal of Political Science, 42, 40–60. https://doi.org/10.22151/politikon.42.2

English

2019

Innovative social work practices by Islamic grassroots organizations in Switzerland

In Switzerland, specific issues related to Muslims have recently emerged in public debates. In addition to the question of radicalization, Muslim migrant populations are affected by social problems such as crime, marginalization, and overrepresentation in prisons. This situation has drawn the state’s attention to the need for implementing new responses to the challenges of religious extremism and social exclusion, particularly involving Muslims. While local authorities have organized trainings and projects to tackle these issues, Islamic grassroots associations have developed some initiatives to address the needs of the population, not only focusing on problems related to Islam and Muslims but also on Swiss society as a whole. Based on a case study of Islamic organizations providing social welfare services, this paper questions the inclusion of such faith-based projects within mainstream society and the area of social work, considering particularly the relation between Islamic organizations and the state.

Titre original : “Innovative social work practices by Islamic grassroots organizations in Switzerland”

Résumé

En Suisse, des questions spécifiques liées aux musulmans ont récemment fait leur apparition dans les débats publics. Outre la question de la radicalisation, les populations migrantes musulmanes sont touchées par des problèmes sociaux tels que la criminalité, la marginalisation et la surreprésentation dans les prisons. Cette situation a attiré l’attention de l’État sur la nécessité de mettre en œuvre de nouvelles réponses aux défis de l’extrémisme religieux et de l’exclusion sociale, en particulier concernant les musulmans. Alors que les autorités locales ont organisé des formations et des projets pour s’attaquer à ces problèmes, les associations islamiques locales ont développé des initiatives pour répondre aux besoins de la population, en se concentrant non seulement sur les problèmes liés à l’islam et aux musulmans, mais aussi sur la société suisse dans son ensemble. Sur la base d’une étude de cas d’organisations islamiques œuvrant dans l’aide sociale, ce document s’interroge sur l’inclusion de tels projets confessionnels dans la société en général et dans le domaine du travail social, en considérant en particulier la relation entre les organisations islamiques et l’État.

في سويسرا، ظهرت مؤخراً قضايا محددة تتعلق بالمسلمين في النقاشات العامة. وإلى جانب مسألة التطرف، تواجه المجتمعات المسلمة المهاجرة مشاكل اجتماعية مثل الجريمة والتهميش وارتفاع نسبة تمثيلهم في السجون. وقد لفت هذا الوضع انتباه الدولة إلى ضرورة تنفيذ حلول جديدة لمواجهة تحديات التطرف الديني والإقصاء الاجتماعي، خاصة فيما يتعلق بالمسلمين. وفي حين نظمت السلطات المحلية دورات تدريبية ومشاريع للتصدي لهذه المشاكل، طورت الجمعيات الإسلامية المحلية مبادرات للاستجابة لاحتياجات السكان، مع التركيز ليس فقط على القضايا المتعلقة بالإسلام والمسلمين، بل أيضاً على المجتمع السويسري ككل. واستناداً إلى دراسة حالة للمنظمات الإسلامية العاملة في مجال المساعدات الاجتماعية، تبحث هذه الورقة في إدماج مثل هذه المشاريع الدينية في المجتمع بشكل عام وفي مجال العمل الاجتماعي، مع التركيز بشكل خاص على العلاقة بين المنظمات الإسلامية والدولة.

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