The Role of Religion in Migration Processes: Research Discourses

Abstract

The article presents an overview of the main research discourses in the context of studying the role of religion in contemporary migration processes and their interaction. The relevance of this issue stems from the historical characteristics of human societies, where migration has significantly influenced ethno-demographic, political, and cultural boundaries. The modern discourse on migration has increasingly emphasized the religious factor, bringing it into the realm of socio-political issues. Authors aimed to review the main research approaches to the problem of the interaction between religion and migration. Religion becomes crucial to the migration experience, and an attempt is made to establish a theoretically grounded link between religion and migration. Both classic approaches in the interdisciplinary field of academic work by foreign researchers and new perspectives are explored. A number of researchers highlight the transformations of the religious landscape due to the influence of migration, considering the formation of new boundaries and communities through the use of virtual reality. Special attention is given to the importance of analyzing the migration situation in the republic, as migrants bring with them their religious beliefs, customs, and way of life, which may have various consequences, possibly conflicting with the socio-political doctrines of the host country, but also enriching the destination countries by introducing them to new cultures and strengthening social cohesion through peaceful coexistence. The study concludes that migration contributes to the strengthening of the religious identity of migrants as a way of preserving ethno-cultural uniqueness. Therefore, migration processes can pose a challenge for a secular state. The article concludes that there is a need for interdisciplinary research on the interaction between migration and religious institutions, and a comprehensive analysis of the social aspects of migration in order to ensure the sustainable development of Kazakhstani society.

Keywords: migration, migration studies, integration, religious identification, religious landscape.