Close encounters? The intersection of faith and ethnicity in mixed‐faith families

Abstract

The encounter and intersection between faiths, cultures, and ethnicities in families where parents have different faith backgrounds are areas of social interaction about which we know little, although the number of such families is growing in the UK and globally. Mixed‐faith families reflect the multi‐cultural and multi‐faith character of society and are thus spaces where individuals develop and negotiate multiple identities in relation to faith, ethnicity, gender, education – among other factors. Based on ethnographic data gathered during a recent study at the University of Warwick, this article presents a case study to examine what kind of cultural repertoire young people could draw on and whether this fostered ‘multiple cultural competence’ in them. The study also seeks to show how parents negotiated the practice and belief of their respective traditions and how children in such families perceived and formed their own religious and social identities.

Keywords:

• mixed‐faith families
• socialisation
• faith transmission
• multiple cultural competence
• religious identity formation

Notes

1. The references indicated here chart the rise of mixed‐race rather than specifically mixed‐faith couples and individuals. However, the rise of the latter can be extrapolated from Census data (see e.g. Scottish Executive Statistics 2005; Voas 2009, esp. Table 1).

2. In line with the guidelines on ethical research, as endorsed by the University of Warwick and relevant professional association (e.g. British Education Research Association, British Sociological Association), all participants in our study were assured of confidentiality and anonymity. Therefore, all the names used in this article are pseudonyms.

3. The language of the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh scriptures, is linguistically complex, with various influences from North Indian dialects and languages, which does not make the text readily accessible, even to Punjabi speakers (see Nesbitt 2005, 35–36).

4. Amrit is the water used in Sikh initiation ceremonies. ‘Taking amrit’ means to be initiated, a rite which is often referred to as baptism. Monika’s reference to nectar refers to the fact that water which is used for the ceremony has sugar added to it (see Nesbitt 2005, 10, 57).

5. The kirpan refers to one of the five Ks, to which those initiated into Sikhism are expected to adhere. The other four Ks are kesh (uncut hair), kangha (comb), kachh (cotton breeches), and kara (steel/iron bangle) (see Nesbitt 2005, 57, 51).

6. We are not using the term ‘virtuoso’ here in the Weberian sense, denoting particular capacities which can only be attained by shamans or ascetics (see Gerth and Wright Mills 1974, 287–91), but in the sense of someone who has specialist knowledge in a particular field and the skill to deploy it expertly, like a musician who, having mastered his instrument and musical composition, can bring this mastery to bear on the interpretation of the piece he plays.