Saharan Visions of Jesus. Poetics of Muslim-to-Christian religious conversions

Project Information

SAVIJU

Grant agreement ID: 898656

DOI

10.3030/898656

Project closed

EC signature date 18 March 2020

Start date 15 August 2020

End date 14 August 2023

Funded under

• EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Total cost

€ 248 425,92

EU contribution

€ 248 425,92

Coordinated by

KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - SAVIJU (Saharan Visions of Jesus. Poetics of Muslim-to-Christian religious conversions)

Reporting period: 2022-08-15 to 2023-08-14

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The action" Saharan Visions of Jesus" (SAVIJU project) aims to investigate the unexplored topic of contemporary Saharan conversions to Christianity, in order to show the complexity and the polysemy of Saharan religious dynamics, focusing on individuality and the concept of “agency”. The challenge of this project is to write the “hidden histories”, the silenced and alternative voices of Saharan Christians and to revise the common narrative and Western taken-for-granted understandings of Saharan religious practices as a uniquely Islamic. SAVIJU aims at laying the groundwork for a fresh and innovative appreciation of this area through the unusual prism of the politics and poetics of Saharan Christianity. The main objectif is providing the tools aimed at increasing visibility and recognition of this religious minority. In addition, This MSCA project raises some fundamental questions about the way in which these rigidly hierarchical nomadic societies manage “religious pluralism” and tolerance for individual choice particularly among subaltern groups (such as former slaves and women). Formal objective of this Marie Skłodowska Curie Action (MSCA) has been to analyze the connections between Muslim-to-Christian religious conversions, pastoral origin Saharan minorities (Tuareg, Berabish, Chaanba) and the conflictual situation in the Sahara/Sahel. SAVIJU project aims at offering an alternative view of the recent conflicts in Mali and Niger by recounting events from the point of view of the Christian Saharan populations and analyzing the indigenization process of various types of Christianity (Evangelism, Pentecotism, Catholicism) in the contemporary Sahara. Through the Fellow’s research valuable new understandings are emerging related to how these conversions constitute a reaction to the jihadism to which the local populations have been subjected, not only because of the occupation of their lands and the forced application of Sharia law but also because of the effects it has had on every-day family-life. In studying interconnections between Muslim-to-Christian religious conversions, marginalized minorities, postconflict situation in Sahel, poetics of religious conversions, the SAVIJU project tackles an original and unexplored topic.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Work was conducted in 6 Work Packeges, in three languages (English, French and Tuareg) and in three different continents: America (USA) where she was hosted at the University of Florida (1st year); Africa (Niger) as a fieldworker and as a visiting researcher in the local laboratory LASDEL (2nd year): and in Europe at the KU Leuven, Belgium (3rd year). To research training, SAVIJU has taken advantage of the expertise acquired by the Fellow at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Florida University and LASDEL, where she has attended interdisciplinary workshops, seminars and training courses, and learning from eminent scholars in the field.
To research training and transfert of knowledge, during the first year the Fellow has organized in the USA 1 international conference and has delivered presentations in 1 conference, 1 workshop and 2 seminars, serving twice as a chair and participating in 2 training. During the second year in Niger, the Fellow has conducted fieldwork living with converts to Christianity. In addition, she has organized 1 conference in Niamey and 1 panel in a International multi-day Conference (ASAA 2022 in Cape Town), attending also 1 seminar and 1 conference.
During the third year in Belgium the Fellow has organized 2 panels in international Conferences in America and Europe at the GIS MoMM 2023 (France) and at the ASA 2023 (USA). To communicate findings, she has participated in 7 top-level Conferences held in Europe, Asia and America (ECAS 2023; ACLARS 2023; GIS MOOM 2023; IUAES 2023; AFEA 2023; ASA 2023). For disseminating SAVIJU results beyond the MSCA end, she is implementing a multilingual dissemination strategy, co-organizing panels for 4 other Conferences: APAD 2024; REAF 2024; EASA 2024; VAAD 2024. To popularize SAVIJU findings outside academy, she has contributed to a well-known radiophonic program on her research on religious conversions. Results of this MSCA are reported in: 1) 4 publications 2) a corpus of Tuareg Christian songs and poems 2) the Fellow is leading the development of a journal special issue underway 3) forthcoming papers on interfaith marriages in the Sahara-Sahel and Muslim -Christian religious encounters; (4) forthcoming papers on methodology and reflexivity in the study of religious conversions in the Sahara; (5) papers about Muslim-to-Christian religious conversions in the Sahara-Sahel (6) papers on Tuareg society and culture. During the grant, she provided supervision and mentoring for early career researchers at the KU Leuven. She earned a teaching qualification in France. She To popularize SAVIJU results she has participated in a radio program in one of the most influential radio in France and in francophone Africa, and to a podcast for the French Institut of Journalism.
The data collected during this MSCA will inform and enhance dozens of publications in the coming years, in particular a book and multilingual articles that highlight research results.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In studying interconnections between Muslim-to-Christian religious conversions, marginalized minorities, postconflict situation in Sahel, poetics of religious conversions, the SAVIJU project tackles a cutting-edge social, economic and political timely issue.SAVUJU has pushed the frontiers of knowledge in the realm of anthropology of Religion and Conflict, African Studies, and West African Ethnopoetics. The Western perspectives on Tuareg religious practices has oscillated between the colonial view of non-practising Muslims, considered originally Christians and superficially converted to Islam, and the current view on the involvement of Saharan youth in Islamic terrorism during the recent conflicts. In contrast, the recent Muslim-to-Christian conversions in the Sahara was un unstudied topic before the SAVIJU Projetct, while various textes have been published on religious conversions in the Maghreb, in the Mashrek as well as in the Sahel.
Impacts anticipated from the MSCA are increased and improved: focus on Muslim-to-Christian converts' biographies and agency; dreaming, vision and conversion; low social status and religious convertion; interracial and intercommunitarian marriage related to the conversion; the constitution of a corpus of poems and songs in Tuareg language; jihadism and conversion; epistemological reflections on conducing fieldwork in high-risk contexts
It helps to bridge the gap between research results and generating value for the society, in raising awareness of the existance of this religious minority. To maximise the impact of her research, The Fellow has proceeded to a public disclosure of SAVIJU results not only by scientific publications but via any pertinent medium, making results available to the people that can best make use of them e.g. development and humanitarian workers, policymakers, journalists and more, for producing a positive impact on the public's quality of life and interreligious dialogue.

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