Religion in Times of Crises: Responses to Covid-19 among Religious Migrant Groups in Sweden

Previous research has shown that religion is a crucial social determinant for public health and an important part of civil society during epidemic outbreaks. This project gathers data that can provide contextual knowledge about collective responses to the Covid-19 pandemic among 9 Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu and Sikh congregations in the areas of Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö. The collaborative project brings together four researchers with expertise in religion and civil society who examine (1) religious responses to public health measures among leaders of local congregations and their social relief work, and (2) religious understandings of the pandemic among the leaders and how they adapt beliefs, places and rituals during the crisis. There is an urgent need to secure data during the pandemic because people’s religious behaviors are evolving processes in the face of crisis. The project creates a rich knowledge base which can identify the religious factors that determine people's attitudes and vulnerability during the pandemic, and provide a better understanding of the complex role of religion in preventive measures.