We think that this job pleases Allah: Islamic charity, social order, and the construction of modern muslim selfhoods in jordan

TY - JOUR

T1 - We think that this job pleases Allah

T2 - Islamic charity, social order, and the construction of modern muslim selfhoods in jordan

AU - Jung, Dietrich

AU - Petersen, Marie Juul

PY - 2014

Y1 - 2014

N2 - This article explores the role of Islam in contemporary Jordanian charities and social welfare organizations. In what ways do these organizations relate to Islamic traditions in their work? What role do religious convictions play in the construction of modern selfhoods among their employees and volunteers? Do these constructions relate to broader, globally relevant, social imaginaries? The article tries to answer these questions by applying a novel analytical framework to qualitative data from fieldwork conducted among Jordanian charities and social welfare organizations. We treat these organizations as social sites for the reinterpretation of Islamic traditions in the context of global modernity as well as for the construction of meaningful forms of modern selfhoods among their members. In doing so, we argue that these specifically Islamic identity constructions can fruitfully be understood with reference to different types of globally relevant social imaginaries.

AB - This article explores the role of Islam in contemporary Jordanian charities and social welfare organizations. In what ways do these organizations relate to Islamic traditions in their work? What role do religious convictions play in the construction of modern selfhoods among their employees and volunteers? Do these constructions relate to broader, globally relevant, social imaginaries? The article tries to answer these questions by applying a novel analytical framework to qualitative data from fieldwork conducted among Jordanian charities and social welfare organizations. We treat these organizations as social sites for the reinterpretation of Islamic traditions in the context of global modernity as well as for the construction of meaningful forms of modern selfhoods among their members. In doing so, we argue that these specifically Islamic identity constructions can fruitfully be understood with reference to different types of globally relevant social imaginaries.

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84898881354&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1017/S0020743814000117

DO - 10.1017/S0020743814000117

M3 - Review

AN - SCOPUS:84898881354

SN - 0020-7438

VL - 46

SP - 285

EP - 306

JO - International Journal of Middle East Studies

JF - International Journal of Middle East Studies

IS - 2

ER -