IMMIGRATION, RELIGION AND GOVERNMENTALITY

While there has been interest in the places that immigrants create for their religious practices, and their implications for socio-economic integration, similar attention has not been given to how immigrants’ religious activities shape and govern the conducts of individuals and groups. This paper is concerned with exploring the governance of immigrant religious groups and related discourses produce practices. Specifically, the paper uses Foucault’s concept of governmentality as an analytical framework to frame a qualitative case study of Ghanaian and Somali (African) immigrants in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Analysis of religious activities in Churches (Ghanaians) and Mosques (Somalis) in Hamilton through observation and interviews support to demonstrate the complexities of religious places. In particular, the governmentality perspective suggests that spaces created for religious activities and support can be simultaneously understood as settings designed to govern religious-related conduct of individuals and groups. Members are provided with support and encouragement from leaders and other members, but these same relations are made possible by the governance of the people (members) and transformation of the self. While a focus on governmentality does not preclude recognition of the positive effects associated with religion, it does present a framework that is useful for an analysis concerning a variety of religious activities.