by theoryforthemasses
Classical sociologists, Karl Marx, Max Weber, and Emile Durkheim, all suggested that as societies modernized, religion would begin to lose its influence on individuals and become more of a personal choice than a public mode of cohesion and control. This secularization thesis is exemplified by Dubai, a place where Islam has converged with contemporary material luxuries, consumerism, and new notions of religious identity. The secularization of Islam here is obvious as young and middle-aged Muslims, many of whom are expatriates from countries like Egypt and Jordan, negotiate new ways of experiencing and expressing their religion. After all, with both 24-hour Mosques and indoor ski slopes at their disposal, they seem to have no choice but to explore new interpretations of their Muslim identities.
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S. Calderini on Islam and Diversity
