Staging Muslim identities in theater: An investigation of the roles of artists with a Muslim background

Abstract

Currently, in European countries, Islam is approached in a post 9/11 context, in a context of fear in which anti-Muslims narratives are widespread. Public controversies stigmatize this religion, which is often depicted as archaic and violent. In this context, cultural and artistic expressions, among other ways of mobilization, enable new generations of Muslim minorities to reclaim the narratives on Muslims and Islam and to explore their Muslim identities.

The present research aims at examining the social, political, and pedagogical relevance of staging Muslim identities in theater by artists with a Muslim background currently in Belgium and to contribute to the academic fields on minorities and arts. In order to do so, the roles of artists with a Muslim background when staging Muslim identities through theatre will be investigated. This research is based on analyses of theater plays, semi-structured interviews and a participant observation, and relies on the Grounded Theory Method.