Religion as a coping mechanism for global labor: Lessons from the South Asian Shia Muslim diaspora in the US

Abstract

Purpose

This paper seeks to analyze the manner in which an immigrant community (South Asian Shia Muslims) deploys religious institutions as a coping mechanism to survive in a demanding and culturally alien environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The analysis is derived from an ethnographic examination of a community of South Asian Shia Muslims in the United States.

Findings

The paper focuses on three elements of organizational coping. First, communities struggle with the promises and perils of transnationalism. Second, the coming of age of children, whose life experiences do not involve dislocation, produce interesting generational engagements. Finally, the community is often challenged by the nuanced task of political engagement with the broader society.

Research implications

An in‐depth focus on employment‐related experiences of Shia Muslim diaspora in the West may be a fruitful area for future research.

Practical implications

Employers and governments ought to pay attention to internal heterogeneity of Muslims in understanding and managing diversity.

Originality/value

This is a seminar paper on Shia Muslim diaspora in the USA and relates the study to the realm of workplace diversity.

Citation

Mir, R.A. (2013), "Religion as a coping mechanism for global labor: Lessons from the South Asian Shia Muslim diaspora in the US", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 32 No. 3, pp. 325-337. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-12-2012-0111