Religion, home-making and migration across a globalising city: Responding to mobility in London

Abstract

During the last 60 years three forms of mobility have played a crucial role in the process of home-making across London – global migration, suburbanisation and gentrification. While these mobilities have been extensively analysed in terms of secular processes, the role of religion is becoming ever more evident and this paper seeks to contribute to this growing understanding by analysing the involvement by different Christian churches in the making of multiple homes across the metropolis. Various aspects of this home-making process are explored – the ways in which Anglican churches have responded to global migration and gentrification, as well as the challenges of increasing ethnic and ritual diversity for Methodist and Catholic congregations. Religion is intimately involved in diverse crossings of spatial and cultural boundaries and the construction of multiple dwellings (immediate and virtual). While global migration, suburbanisation and gentrification operate here in specific local contexts across a particular city, these modes of mobility operate around the globe and encourage comparison with American and Australian cities.

Keywords:

• home-making
• migration
• globalisation

Notes

1. This process appears to have slowed during the last 10 years, however.

2. http://stmartins-ruislip.org/AboutUs/History/tabid/97/Default.aspx (accessed December 26, 2011).

3. This issue remained hotly debates as Fumanti's subsequent research revealed (2010).

4. F. Davis et al. 2007. The Ground of Justice, http://www.caritas-europa.org/module/FileLib/Ground_of_Justice.pdf (accessed December 26, 2011).

5. Personal communication from J. Krotofil.

6. Personal communication from J. Krotofil.