Occhialì – Rivista sul Mediterraneo islamico is pleased to announce the Call for Papers for Issue 17/2025: "Within and Beyond Islam. Stories and Engagement of Young Muslims in Italy."
This thematic issue, edited by Luca Bossi and Nicola Di Mauro, will gather research focused on the young Muslim population in Italy, emphasizing their life stories and experiences related to both commitment and disengagement, within and beyond religious associations and places of worship. We welcome submissions of original research articles from affiliated or independent researchers, at all levels of scientific research. PhD students and post-doc researchers are particularly encouraged to submit a proposal.
The deadline for submission of Abstracts is 30 April 2025. Paper submission (max. 30,000 characters, spaces included, bibliography excluded) is due by 30 September 2025. The proposals should be addressed to: rivistaocchiali@gmail.com, luca.bossi@unito.it and nicola.dimauro@unior.it For detailed information, please refer to the Call for Papers below (also available at https://rivistaocchiali.com/cfp-no-17/)
Occhialì – Rivista sul Mediterraneo islamico is an open-access journal, indexed in ANVUR, SCOPUS, RelBib and DOAJ, dedicated to the publication of studies, research, and critical reflections on Islam and the Mediterranean. Since 2017, Occhialì has promoted a broad discussion on transversal themes from various perspectives, including historical, linguistic, political, philosophical, juridical, sociological, psychological, and pedagogical, reflecting the heterogeneity that characterizes its area of interest. Occhialì is supported by Sapienza University of Rome and published by Sapienza Università Editrice.
URL: https://rivistaocchiali.com/cfp-no-17/
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Call for papers Occhialì - Rivista sul Mediterraneo islamico No. 17/2025
Within and Beyond Islam. Stories and Engagement of Young Muslims in Italy
This call for papers seeks to gather research focused on the young Muslim population, emphasizing their life stories and experiences related to both commitment and disengagement, within and beyond religious associations and places of worship.
During the last two decades, research on the so-called second and third generations of young daughters and sons of Muslim immigrants in Italy has focused heavily on their relationships with the first generation, as well as their religious participation and identity construction. These young individuals navigate a balance between parental expectations and stereotypes imposed by society. Particularly regarding their religious commitment, studies have highlighted a segment of youth who are notably devout, regularly attending places of worship and participating in Islamic youth associations. Conversely, scientific research—alongside media and political narratives—has often concentrated on the risks of violent radicalization, examining marginalization dynamics and their dangers to society, while rarely exploring the perspectives of the individuals involved. However, there exists a group within the younger population, born into Islamic families, which has mainly grown up outside mosques and religious associations, but has not embarked on a path of radicalisation.
This call invites both theoretical and empirical contributions that address a diverse array of themes and contexts pertaining to the lived experiences of second-generation Muslims in Italy. Key areas of exploration include, but are not limited to: the dynamics of their relationship with Islam and Islamic communities; interactions with the broader Italian population; and engagements with media and political landscapes. Additionally, contributions may examine the implications of rising Islamophobia, particularly in relation to the prevailing socio-political climate and specific incidents occurring within offline and online environments. Furthermore, discussions may explore levels of engagement or disengagement with religious or secular organizations, processes of identity construction along with secondary socialization, and the methods of religious transmission between parental generations and their offspring. Finally, contributors are encouraged to address the challenges encountered in educational settings—ranging from primary schools to universities—as well as in the professional sphere.
We invite scholarly contributions that examine this specific population segment. Proposals that explore forms of engagement beyond traditional places of worship and Islamic associations—while still acknowledging individual and collective experiences—will be given preference. Topics of interest encompass everyday life, familial and peer relationships, faith and values, as well as lifestyle and consumption patterns. Additionally, we seek inquiries into modes of expression across artistic, cultural, economic, entrepreneurial, political, or scientific domains, as well as the dynamics of relationships with institutions, media, politics, and international contexts.
The editorial project is open to affiliated or independent researchers, at all levels of scientific research. We particularly encourage the proposal of theoretical, empirical, or methodological contributions resulting from the work of PhD students, and post-doc researchers.
Contributions should not exceed 30,000 characters, including spaces and excluding the bibliography. Upon acceptance of the submitted abstract, the editorial team will provide detailed guidelines for the preparation of the manuscript. Below are the primary deadlines associated with this editorial initiative:
– deadline for abstract submission (300 words max.): April 30th, 2025
– deadline for paper submission: September 30th, 2025
The proposals should be addressed to:
rivistaocchiali@gmail.com
luca.bossi@unito.it
nicola.dimauro@unior.it
CfP - Within and Beyond Islam. Stories and Engagement of Young Muslims in Italy