RT Article
T1 Global Citizenship and the Baha'i Faith
JF Journal for the academic study of religion
VO 20
IS 2
SP 217
OP 231
A1 Williams, Ruth
LA English
PB Equinox Publ.
YR 2007
UL https://www.ixtheo.de/Record/1846011930
AB Attitudes towards refugees has been critiqued by Derrida (2002), who considers receptivity of host societies. Comparatively, Hage (2003) claims Australians are adopting a paranoid nationalism, subsequently hindering the adaptation of newcomers. Features of a refugee group may be vital to appreciating their ultimate outcome. In-depth interviews with 7 Iranian Bahá’í refugees reveal the centrality of religion to their relatively consistent cosmopolitan identities. Bahá’ís refer to their faith as a world religion where the key principle ‘elimination of all prejudices’ aspires to unity in diversity. Consequently, Bahá’ís stem from all parts of the world, constituting it as cosmopolitan religion. Central tenets of their faith appear to facilitate the adaptation process. ‘The unity of humankind’, means Bahá’ís refer to themselves as citizens of the world. Thus, identifying as Bahá’í rather than Iranian or Australian, meaning the values underpinning religion outweigh national or ethnic identity.
K1 Migration
K1 Cosmopolitanism
DO 10.1558/arsr.v20i2.217