Attached Paper Annual Meeting 2024

Navigating Tensions: Hindu Immigrant Challenges and Temple Evolution in the Islamic United Arab Emirates (UAE)

Abstract for Online Program Book (maximum 150 words)

 

 This paper examines the challenges faced by Hindu immigrants in practicing their religion and establishing temples in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a predominantly Islamic country. Against the backdrop of global conflicts rooted in religious diversity, the paper enhances the discourse on religious pluralism by analyzing the historical development and architectural evolution of Hindu temples in the UAE. Drawing on my historical and ethnographic research, I argue that despite Hinduism’s status as a minority religion in a Muslim-majority nation, the reciprocal relationship between Hindu pluralistic approaches and the UAE government’s religious inclusion policies has facilitated the practice of Hinduism, the construction of temples, and the promotion of religious diversity and inclusion in the UAE. The paper analyzes the religiopolitical dynamics, interreligious tensions, and roles played by Hindu temples in promoting cultural exchange, social cohesion, and community empowerment, offering insights into Hindu-Muslim relations, religious pluralism, and cultural integration in the UAE.