The Varieties of Everyday Religiosity Among Iranian Graduate Students in US Universities

In this paper, I have attempted to uncover the processes of everyday religiosity and secularity among Iranian graduate students within the United States. As explained previously, part of this religiosity, or lack thereof, for my subjects was formed under the Islamic Republic of Iran, a semi-democratic and semi-theocratic regime, and through their experiences as immigrants to the United States. I have tried to place this empirical study within the theoretical framework of secularity and not secularism. My evidence suggests that these young Iranian students with Islamic background are neither secularists nor traditional orthodox Muslims. Secularization theory suggests the constant decline of religion and religiosity in modern pluralistic societies. I have, however, attempted to demonstrate that the synthesis and tinkering of religious ideas, practices and values of these immigrant students are creative and a vivid sign of pluralism, not secularism.