COST Action COREnet Results

Religious and Non-Religious Narratives on Migration

Editors: Regina Polak, Aybiçe Tosun, and Ansgar Jödicke

This volume analyzes religious and non-religious narratives on migration from an international and interdisciplinary perspective. Narratives shape the perception of migration. The recourse to religion, as well as the self-understanding of religious people and religious communities, plays an important role in this context. As part of the COST Action 2017 “Connecting Theory and Practical Issues of Migration and Religious Diversity”, international researchers from various disciplines – theology, social sciences, philosophy – are exploring contemporary perspectives on migration based on subject-specific understandings of the concept of “narrative” and are also discussing the role and contributions of religion. Particular attention is paid to the original voices of migrants. For this purpose, the innovative method of so-called “narrative cafés” was developed. The volume thus offers numerous insights for critical reflection on migration narratives in academic and socio-political practice.

Building Cohesion in Migration: Embracing Religious and Secular Perspectives in Formal and Informal Education

The policy brief addresses: 

• The challenges of insufficient inclusion of religious and worldview diversity in school curricula, other training programs and informal educational settings;
• Insufficient training for formal and informal educators in worldview literacy and intercultural sensitivity;
• Concrete policy recommendations and implementation strategies aimed at addressing the identified challenges and promoting sustainable, inclusive educational practices across diverse educational environments.

October 23, 2023 — Maria Baran, Halina Grzymała-Moszczyńska, Marceli Zjawińska: How to help Ukrainian migrant women: age and family status factor

November 20, 2023 — Cemal Bozoglu, Elif Cangür, Deniz Cosan Eke: The Effects of Migration Policies in Germany

November 22, 2023 — Murat Yarimay, Duygu Altinoluk: Sharing the Migration Experiences of Young Syrian Women in Kilis

November 22, 2023 — Oksana Yuriyivna Stupak, Olena Nesterenko, Natalya Marakhoovska, Olga Zhmurko: Ukranian refugees women and their children

May 21, 2024 — Davide Carnevale: Borders, Religiosity, and multi-local engagement of Georgian migrant women in Bari, Italy [within the MIREES open lecture programme]

December 18, 2024 — Angeliki Aroni, Leyla Kayacik, Manfred L. Pirner, Carla Amina Baghajati, with Aleksandra Djurić Milovanović: Education, Dialogue, and Religion: Shaping Inclusive Narratives for Refugees and Migrants in Europe

February 10, 2025 — Milda Ališauskienė, Gintarė Pocė, Egdūnas Račius, Artūras Tereškinas: Intersecting Religious and Sexual Identities in the Context of Transnational Migration: the Case of Lithuania

March 10, 2025 — Deniz Cosan Eke, Umit Cetin, Celia Jenkins: Exploring Religious Identity through Gender and Age: Alevis in the UK and Austria

March 18, 2025 — Halina Grzymała-Moszczyńska, Gilda Seddighi and Morta Vidūnaitė, with Andreas Önver Cetrez, Katharina Maria Wuropulos, Vidar Enebakk: Contextual Vulnerability of the Researcher: Discussion on integrating researchers’ emotional well-being in research ethics

March 31, 2025 — Siniša Zrinščak, Nejra Kadić Meškić, Deniz Cosan Eke, Mabrouka Rayachi, Aleksandra Djurić Milovanović, Samuil Petrovski: Bridging Divides: Interreligious Dialogue and Migration in Austria, Croatia, and Serbia

MIGREL International Conference, June 14-16, 2023, VID Specialized University, Stavanger, Norway. Organisers: MIGREL Research Group and COST Action COREnet

International Study of Religion in Eastern and Central Europe Association (ISORECEA) Conference “Religious Diversity and Social Cohesion in Central and Eastern Europe and Beyond”, April 25–27, 2024, Bedër University College, Tirana, Albania. Organisers: ISORECEA and COST Action COREnet.

International Society for the Sociology of Religion (ISSR) 38th Conference “Religion, Migration, and Conflicts in Polarized Societies”, June 30 - July 4, 2025, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania. Organisers: ISSR and COST Action COREnet

Ankara (29 04 2023), Belgrade (26 09 2023), Vienna (07 10 2023).

Organised by COREnet in cooperation with local NGOs, these events created a safe and inclusive space for refugees and migrants to share their personal migration stories, explore the role of religion and non-religion in their experiences, and reflect on challenges and solutions related to integration, identity, and belonging in Europe.

The Reflective Cafés, organised by COREnet, brought together researchers and migration practitioners to exchange experiences, identify good practices, and discuss challenges in working with religiously diverse migrant communities, fostering collaboration, reflection, and insights for more humane and effective migration policies.

“Participatory Methodologies to Research Migration, Gender and Sexual Diversities”, May 14, 2024, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania

“State and Religious Actors’ Perspectives on Refugees: Discrepancies and Overlaps in Their Narratives”, May 24, 2024, University of Fribourg, Switzerland

“Crossroads of Learning: Exploring the Intersection of Education, Migration, and Religion”, March 3-4, 2025, University of Malta

“Exploring the Relationship between Religion and Migration in Europe: Challenges, State of Art, and Perspectives“, 11 March 2024, 17th Forum of Vuk’s Foundation, Belgrade, Serbia.

“Migration, Anxiety and Solidarity - Ukrainian and Russian Migrants' Experiences in Georgia”, 31 May 2023, Ilia State University, Tbilisi, Georgia.

Researching Migration and Religious Diversity — Jun 29–Jul 3, 2022 — Kaunas, LT

Religious and Non-Religious Narratives on Migration — Jul 12–16, 2023 — Vienna, AT

Intersecting Gender, Religion and Migration — Jun 25–28, 2024 — Lisbon, PT

Communication in Practice-Based Research — Sep 8–11, 2025 — Oslo, NO