The Embodied Pilgrim: A Pakistani-German Muslim’s Journey Through Taiwan’s 'Muslim-Friendly Environment'

Abstract (English)

Over the past few decades, a vast body of literature has emerged on the intersection of migration, religion, and identity, reflecting the profound impact migration has had on the religious landscapes of many destination countries. Anthropologists, sociologists, and religious studies scholars have extensively examined how religion and religious communities transform in the context of migrants' experiences. However, much of this research has been based on qualitative studies conducted in North American and Western European contexts, where secularism has historically relegated religion to the private sphere. In these settings, migrant religions—particularly Islam—are often marginalized and perceived as obstacles to integration, sparking heated debates about the role of religion in the public domain, such as discussions on veiling, mosque construction, and halal slaughter.

This research explores how Muslim identity is performed and negotiated in public spaces within various Muslim minority contexts, using autophenomenography as both a theoretical and methodological framework. Autophenomenography is a phenomenological approach that focuses on the researcher’s own lived experiences, and in this case, it provides comparative ethnographic insights into how I, as a female Muslim woman who grew up as a migrant in Germany, navigate Taiwan’s “Muslim-friendly environment.” This study examines the transition from a gendered and racialized experience to one shaped by pluralism. The phenomenological aspect centers on embodiment—how spaces feel, how the body interacts with them, and how belonging is shaped through physical and emotional experiences.

This research offers a much-needed comparative perspective on religion, migration, and identity in contexts beyond the Global North. Using Taiwan as a case study, it highlights a unique example of religious pluralism in Asia. Taiwan, as a progressive and inclusive democracy, introduced the New Southbound Policy (NSP) in 2016 to attract foreign workers and students from Southeast and South Asia—regions with significant Muslim populations—in order to address labor shortages in its growing economy. By 2023, foreign Muslims made up about 29% of Taiwan’s foreign residents, accounting for approximately 1.3% of the total population. While the Muslim population in Taiwan is relatively small compared to the larger Muslim communities in Western European countries (e.g., around 6-8% in France and Germany), Taiwan has introduced several initiatives aligned with the NSP to create a "Muslim-friendly environment." These initiatives, aimed at accommodating Muslim visitors and residents, include promoting halal certification for restaurants and hotels, establishing prayer rooms in public spaces, and offering Muslim-friendly tourism services. In doing so, I aim to contribute to anthropological research on migration and religious identity, a field that has, until now, largely overlooked East Asian societies. Taiwan’s example has the potential to serve as a model of religious pluralism for other liberal-democratic, secular, multiethnic, and multireligious societies.