This book will test hypotheses relevant for ethnic
community, social capital, and rational actor
theories to explain religious participation among US
immigrants. In this work, I provide an overview of
the theoretical perspectives that will guide my
research. Ethnic community and social capital
theorists have suggested that religious
organizations constitute important social capital
resources that generate cultural and economic
benefits. The size and location of the ethnic
community may also play a significant role in
religious participation among immigrants. Immigrant
and ethnic communities can play a normative role by
enforcing participation through possible sanctions
and restricting access opportunities. Participation
in such situations may become semi-involuntary.
Immigrant religion may also be fruitfully explored
using market theories from the demand and the supply
side. These theories examine the preferences and
constraints of individuals making religious choices,
and also the structure of market offerings in the
origin and destination nations that constitutes the
religious supply.
community, social capital, and rational actor
theories to explain religious participation among US
immigrants. In this work, I provide an overview of
the theoretical perspectives that will guide my
research. Ethnic community and social capital
theorists have suggested that religious
organizations constitute important social capital
resources that generate cultural and economic
benefits. The size and location of the ethnic
community may also play a significant role in
religious participation among immigrants. Immigrant
and ethnic communities can play a normative role by
enforcing participation through possible sanctions
and restricting access opportunities. Participation
in such situations may become semi-involuntary.
Immigrant religion may also be fruitfully explored
using market theories from the demand and the supply
side. These theories examine the preferences and
constraints of individuals making religious choices,
and also the structure of market offerings in the
origin and destination nations that constitutes the
religious supply.