Objectives
A central component of the project is the construction and administration, to a national sample of the Muslim population, of a questionnaire specifically designed to investigate the religious identity of Muslims in Italy. The main objective is to obtain an updated and empirically grounded picture of beliefs, practices, experiences, forms of belonging, critical issues and needs that characterise the everyday lives of Muslims in the Italian context.
Methodology
The questionnaire has been developed on the basis of an extensive review of national and international literature on Islam in Europe and in Italy, as well as on previous empirical studies on religious pluralism, migration and integration. Its construction has benefited from the interdisciplinary dialogue between sociology, anthropology, psychology and legal studies that characterises the overall project design.
The tool is administered to a national sample of the Muslim population residing in Italy, selected in order to reflect internal diversity in terms of country of origin, gender, age, length of stay, legal status, educational level and socio‑economic position. Data collection combines different channels (online and, where possible, in‑presence administration) and is supported by collaboration with associations, communities and organisations that operate in Muslim contexts across the country.
Areas of investigation
The questionnaire focuses on several key dimensions of Muslim life in Italy. Among them:
religious identity and self‑definition (ways of identifying as Muslim and relationships with other belongings, such as national, local and generational identities);
systems of belief and knowledge (representations of Islam, sources of religious authority, channels through which religious knowledge is acquired and circulated);
religious practices (individual and collective worship, participation in mosques and associations, practices related to fasting, dietary prescriptions and festivities);
social experiences and forms of participation (relations with institutions, schools, workplaces, neighbourhoods, third‑sector organisations);
experiences of discrimination, Islamophobia and recognition, as well as perceptions of rights, opportunities and obstacles in everyday life;
needs and expectations with regard to religious freedom, representation, spaces of worship, education, welfare and forms of institutional dialogue.
Expected results
The “Questionnaire on Islam in Italy” is expected to provide an unprecedented quantitative and qualitative database on the Muslim presence in the country, complementing the qualitative and case‑study components of the project. The analysis of the data will make it possible to map the internal plurality of the Muslim population, to identify recurring patterns and specific vulnerabilities, and to highlight both areas of tension and resources for coexistence and inclusion.
The results will feed into scientific publications, reports and policy briefs addressed to institutions, civil‑society actors and Muslim organisations, contributing to more informed public policies and debates on Islam and religious pluralism in Italy. In this way, the questionnaire plays a crucial role in the overall research strategy, linking macro‑level descriptions of Muslim presence with the subjective voices and experiences of those directly involved.
