“Stuff in Islam: materialities in everyday life of Muslims in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo (2022)” by Thaís Chaves Ferraz | PhD Dissertation

Abstract: “This study aims to investigate stuff connected to Islam’s religious perspectives in two Brazilian cities – Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, exploring its impacts on the everyday life of Sunni and Shiite people, in order to understand how they experience their religious deeds and learning. Fieldwork (from 2018 to 2020/2021), interviews and testimonies showed that stuff are active part in creating identities, preferences and individual practices, as much as group belonging feelings. They show status, permissions (or lawfulness) and restrictions. Stuff also build and renew the significance of Islam to those faithful people. Stuff are in collective sacred places, as well as in the intimacy of Muslim’s homes and bodies, in what they wear and eat. Stuff can create interior and exterior atmospheres, showing both new and well-stablished knowledge and ways of living. Being a Muslim it’s being related to stuff, and how one uses, appreciates, and works them. It’s also an affectionate road that goes both ways. This work stresses the relevance of stuff on their broad  connection to people, creed, living, and Islam.”

Keywords: Anthropology; Islam; stuff; materiality; Sunni; Shiite

 

This PhD dissertation, written by Thaís Chaves Ferraz under the supervision of Gisele Fonseca Chagas, was defended in 2022 at the Doctorate in Anthropology of the Fluminense Federal University and is available in Portuguese at the UFF Institutional Repository.

Photo: Jan Chipchase (CC-BY-SA 3.0)

ANO

2022

AUTORES

Thaís Chaves Ferraz

EDITORES

Gisele Fonseca Chagas