Citizenship Between State and Mosque for Muslims in Switzerland

Abstract

This chapter reflects on the issue of citizenship between State and Mosque for Muslims in Switzerland. As is the case elsewhere in Europe, Swiss Muslims are confronted with the challenge of negotiating their identity as active participants of society and faithful adherents of their faith. Finding the balance between being Muslim and being Swiss is their major dilemma and which is what the chapter examines. It does this by looking at the experience of the Turkish Muslim community of Switzerland, exploring the various waves of migration, looking at the different Muslim networks and associations, and discussing the multiple ways individuals express their religious identities in a secular state.