Religion as Mechanism of Adaptation for Immigrants: The Case of African Migrant Students in a South African Tertiary Institution

Abstract

While most scholars acknowledge the salience of migrants' transnational economic, political and socio-cultural practices, it is only recently that they have begun to pay attention to the relationship between religion and migration. Migration affects the entirety of a person's being because it involves an emotional crisis caused by the migrants' separation from their natural physical and social environment and a psychological problem of adjusting to the new one. Religious beliefs appear to be useful in serving to restore the inner balance of an individual and reducing the levels of anxiety amongst immigrants. Previous immigrant religion research has however focused mostly on immigrants in America with a recent focus on Canada, Australia, and Western Europe.

This paper however focuses on a different context in Africa by examining the role of religion in the adaptation experiences of migrants from other African countries who have migrated to South Africa for study purposes. Using in-depth interviews, the paper examines the different ways in which religion influences their adaptation into the new context. The findings reveal that migration increases religiosity among migrants, facilitates aspects of immigrant adaptation such as academic achievement, emotional adjustment, negotiation of gender identity and building of social capital through social networks.

Keywords: Religious Beliefs, Immigrant Adaptation, Social Networks, Gender Identity