Global Islam and Local Action

Abstract

In contemporary Napoli, Muslim spatiality is mainly located in the extended area of piazza Garibaldi. Seven Islamic places of worship, generally called mosques, stand there; in this area halal markets can be easily found; and it is there that Islamic forms of public life are mainly visible, including celebrations for the Islamic holidays. The aim of this paper is to shed light on the ways in which that social space (Lefebvre 1991) is produced, experienced, conceived, and imagined by the Muslim communities and the leadership of the Islamic centers. The local scale is embedded in global processes related to social, economic, and political change, and to religiously oriented action of transnational subjects, whether they are institutions, movements or individuals. Based on the theoretical frameworks of Global Islam and Global History, the discussion provides an analysis taking into account different scales. Therefore, the paper pays attention to connections, relations, systemic integration on a global scale (Conrad 2016), and to the “shared use of the opportunities of globalization” (Green 2020, 18). This paper is based on fieldwork that is still ongoing as part of a broader research project. The fieldwork consists of participant observation—attending political-religious activities, Islamic holidays, worship and celebrations, public discussions, meetings, and initiatives—and in-depth inter­views with the Muslim leadership of Neapolitan Islamic associations and members of the city’s government. Key words: Contemporary Islam, Muslim Spatiality, Islam in Italy, Muslims in Naples, Global Islam in Southern Europe.