Espacio público e Islam transnacional: A propósito de la Jama’at at-Tabligh en Barcelona

Este artículo analiza el desequilibrio entre la escasa atención científica prestada al Tabligh y su notable influencia entre musulmanes en España. Una particular tradición de conocimiento sobre el Islam lo ha definido como opuesto a la emergencia del espacio público. Atrapados en la discusión sobre las contradicciones de la dicotomía religioso/secular, el Tabligh invita a pensar más allá de los términos que conforman ese irresoluble debate. Pero será necesario poner en suspenso metodologías etnográficas precedentes y contar con nuevos motivos de observación y discusión: la relación entre sujeto y objeto de la práctica religiosa y la dimensión transnacional del IslamThis paper focuses on the imbalance between the limited scientific attention paid to the Tablighi Jamaat and its broad influence among Muslims in Spain. A particular tradition of knowledge about Islam defines it as opposed to the emergence of public sphere. Caught in the discussion on the contradictions of the religious/secular dichotomy, the Tablighis invite to think beyond the terms that shape this unsolvable debate. But it will be necessary to rethink certain ethnographic methodologies and develop new conceptions about the relationship between subject and object of the religious practice and the transnational dimension of Isla

Pràctica religiosa i pràctica etnogràfica: la Ŷama'at at-Tabligh ad-Da'wa' i el Raval

El treball de camp a què es remet aquest text proposa l'observació i anàlisi de la pràctica religiosa i les representacions de la Ŷama'at at-Tabligh ad-Da'wa' a la ciutat de Barcelona partint de dos recorreguts paral·lels: d'una banda, la reconstrucció històrica de les trajectòries del moviment des del seu moment fundacional fins a la seva arribada a Barcelona a principis dels anys vuitanta, fins a consolidar-se aquí a dia d'avui; de l'altra, una reconstrucció tant de la història com de l'evolució urbanística de l'espai en què se situen la investigació i gran part dels espais associatius i d'oració, dels actors socials i de les accions que en configuren la pràctica religiosa, és a dir, el Raval i en particular l'«Illa Robadors». A partir d'aquí es proposa l'anàlisi de com els mateixos membres de la Ŷama'at at-Tabligh construeixen els marcs i espais d'interacció i presentació del Tabligh mitjançant la seva praxi religiosa comunitària i, a més, l'article convida a pensar com, arran de determinades lectures d'aquestes pràctiques i dels espais urbans concrets on es porten a terme, se'n deriven altres representacions del moviment i dels participants dels seus moments i marcs d'interacció. Així, el text tracta d'analitzar les condicions i els termes en què la investigació d'un fenomen religiós com aquest pot produir-se de manera situada.The fieldwork described in the article involves the observation and analysis of the religious practice and the representations of the Tablighi Jamaat in the city of Barcelona based on two parallel historical paths. Firstly, a historical reconstruction of the movement’s development, from its founding to its arrival and implantation in Barcelona, at the beginning of 1980s. And secondly, a reconstruction of both the history and urban evolution of the area where the research is carried out, namely the Raval neighbourhood, in particular the area around Carrer Robadors. This is where the majority of prayer and meeting places are located and where the social agents and actions of this religious practice come together. Subsequently we analyse how members of the movement build frameworks and spaces for interaction and we study the introduction of the Tabligh through the practice of the religious community. Moreover, the article invites readers to consider, through certain readings of such practices and of specific urban spaces where they are performed, how other representations of the movement, of the participants of the events and of the interaction spaces are derived. Thus the article attempts to analyse the terms and conditions in which research into a religious phenomenon such as this can occur in a specific location

Schisms and Boundaries: Islamic Organizations and Sectarianism between South Asia and Spain

Since the September 11 attacks, numerous researchers—from security experts and political scientists to sociologists and anthropologists—have discussed how Islamic organizations establish within mosques across Europe and spread sectarianism among Muslims in the region. While these researchers have provided valuable insights, the dynamics that characterize the relationship between these mosques and organizations and the resulting sectarianism seem far from self-explanatory and remain rather unclear. This dissertation focuses on how the intersections between global and local phenomena—the so-called War on Terror and Clash of Civilizations on the one hand, and urban transformations and gentrification on the other—shape support for—and opposition to—Islamic organizations among Muslims across Europe. To that end, I draw upon my ethnographic fieldwork in the Raval neighborhood of Barcelona, where such intersections are particularly recent, even ongoing, and where studying them as they happen provides unique opportunities for analysis. Throughout this dissertation, I develop a series of arguments. First, I suggest that such intersections inform the ways in which Islamic organizations navigate the resulting circumstances—from pervasive suspicions and rumors to the increase in housing prices and multicultural policies in the neighborhood. In this manner, I suggest that support for—and opposition to—such organizations as well as the sectarianism stemming from it constitute—or at least depend upon—the responses to—and the outcome of—such circumstances. Moreover, this dissertation focuses on the ways in which Islamic organizations seek support not only within mosques but also across settings such as homes, workplaces, and streets, since all of these venues are, of course, equally common areas of social interaction. To that end, I draw upon my ethnographic fieldwork accompanying research participants—male Pakistani and Bangladeshi labor migrants who pursue proselytizing for such organizations (referred to as dawah)—across such settings. Thus, I next suggest that interactions between research participants and their countrymen across homes, workplaces, and streets reveal that these countrymen simultaneously support—or oppose—different (even competing) organizations, and therefore, that the assessment of sectarianism varies depending upon the settings where one focuses. For example, while mosques secure the boundaries of support to organizations, these boundaries often dilute outside of these settings

Cuerpo, tiempo y espacio en el estudio de comunidades Musulmanas en España: El caso de la Jama’at at-Tabligh

Resumen Este artículo aborda los modos de organización de movimiento Islámico transnacional Jama’at at-Tabligh ad-Da’wa en el área de Barcelona –España- desde los años setenta. Su labor proselitista se extiende en la actualidad a diversas zonas de la ciudad y hacia el resto de la Península Ibérica. Ello contribuye a un aumento de la influencia de este movimiento entre musulmanes de diverso origen. La Jama’at at-Tabligh promueve una experiencia piadosa del Islam que hace de su práctica en tal contexto un hecho familiar más que excepcional. Así, este movimiento pone en suspenso visiones hegemónicas sobre el Islam como religión foránea ajena a la democratización del espacio público. Sin embargo, las ciencias sociales no han sido capaces de explicar el alcance del Tabligh, que aparece infrarrepresentado en los discursos públicos. Aquí sugiero en para comprender el rol que juega entre musulmanes que viven en este contexto es necesario reconsiderar nociones de tiempo (histórico y cotidiano) y espacio (histórico y urbano) en relación a la experiencia del Islam en España. Concluyo estas páginas proponiendo el cuerpo como un puente entre la religión y la ciudad y como el necesario foco de atención en futuras etnografías, tanto para el análisis de la Jama’at at-Tabligh como para el debate sobre la presencia del Islam en la España contemporánea

Religious and ethnographic practice: the Tablighi Jamaat and the Raval neighbourhood

El treball de camp a què es remet aquest text proposa l’observació i anàlisi de la pràctica religiosa i les representacions de la Ŷama’at at-Tabligh ad-Da’wa’ a la ciutat de Barcelona partint de dos recorreguts paral·lels: d’una banda, la reconstrucció històrica de les trajectòries del moviment des del seu moment fundacional fins a la seva arribada a Barcelona a principis dels anys vuitanta, fins a consolidar-se aquí a dia d’avui; de l’altra, una reconstrucció tant de la història com de l’evolució urbanística de l’espai en què se situen la investigació i gran part dels espais associatiusi d’oració, dels actors socials i de les accions que en configuren la pràctica religiosa, és a dir, el Raval i en particular l’«Illa Robadors». A partir d’aquí es proposa l’anàlisi de com els mateixos membres de la Ŷama’at at-Tabligh construeixen els marcs i espais d’interacció i presentació del Tabligh mitjançant la seva praxi religiosa comunitària i, a més, l’article convida a pensar com, arran de determinades lectures d’aquestes pràctiques i dels espais urbans concrets on es porten a terme, se’n deriven altres representacions del moviment i dels participants dels seusmoments i marcs d’interacció. Així, el text tracta d’analitzar les condicions i els termes en què la investigació d’un fenomen religiós com aquest pot produir-se de manera situada.  Paraules clau: etnografia, pràctica religiosa, Ŷama’at at-Tabligh ad-Da’wa’, oratori Tariq ibn Ziyad, Raval.The fieldwork described in the article involves the observation and analysis of the religious practice and the representations of the Tablighi Jamaat in the city of Barcelona based on two parallel historical paths. Firstly, a historical reconstruction of the movement’s development, from its founding to its arrival and implantation in Barcelona, at the beginning of 1980s. And secondly, a reconstruction of both the history and urban evolution of the area where the research is carried out, namely the Raval neighbourhood, in particular the area around Carrer Robadors. This is where the majority of prayer and meeting places are located and where the social agents and actions of this religious practice come together. Subsequently we analyse how members of the movement build frameworks and spacesfor interaction and we study the introduction of the Tabligh through the practice of the religious community. Moreover, the article invites readers to consider, through certain readings of such practices and of specific urban spaces where they are performed, how other representations of the movement, of the participants of the events and of the interaction spaces are derived. Thus the article attempts to analyse the terms and conditions in which research into a religious phenomenon such as this can occur in a specific location.Keywords: ethnography, religious practice, Ŷama’at at-Tabligh ad-Da’wa’, mosque Tariq ibn Ziyad, Raval

El islam del Raval: sus oratorios y organizaciones

The long and controversial relationship between Spain and Morocco has led to a abundant research on Islam in Spain and the presence of mosques controlled by Moroccans across the country. However, similar spaces controlled by Pakistanis and Bangladeshis, two communities that have grown rapidly in several parts of the country within the past decades, have remained underexplored. For this reason, the way in which similar spaces controlled by Pakistani and Bangladeshi Islamic organizations enable them to proselytize (dawah) among Muslims with the same origins has also remained underexplored. Starting in Catalonia and, specifically, in the Raval district of Barcelona where such spaces, organizations and communities have proliferated rapidly in recent years, this article aims to contribute to this (relatively) new area of research. Of course, in countries such as the United Kingdom, where for obvious historical and political reasons, such spaces, organizations and communities have had a long presence, there has been much research into this subject. In contrast, in Spain, Catalonia, Barcelona and El Raval, such develop1ments are still relatively recent and this allows us to observe and analyze in a privileged manner the precise link between certain spaces, organizations and communities. Thus, the article draws on an ethnography of the Raval district that tries to introduce nuances and avoid generalizations and thus increase understanding of the nature of such link without taking it for grantedDada la larga y controvertida relación entre España y Marruecos, la investigación sobre islam en España ha abordado de manera abundante y notable la presencia de mezquitas controladas por marroquíes en todo el país. Por consiguiente, espacios similares controlados por paquistaníes y bangladeshíes, dos comunidades que en las últimas décadas han crecido rápidamente en varios puntos del país, han que- dado poco explorados. Con ello, el modo en que esos espacios sirven a organizaciones islámicas de origen paquistaní y bangladeshí para hacer proselitismo (dawah) entre musulmanes de esos orígenes ha quedado por explorar también. Partiendo de Catalu- ña y, concretamente, de Barcelona y el barrio de El Raval, donde en los últimos años dichos espacios, organizaciones y comunidades han proliferado más y de forma más rápida, este artículo quiere contribuir a ese (relativamente) nuevo terreno de investi- gación. Por supuesto, en países como el Reino Unido, donde, por motivos históricos y políticos obvios, dichos espacios, organizaciones y comunidades tienen un largo recorri- do, muchos han desarrollado dicho terreno de investigación. No obstante, el hecho de que en España, Cataluña, Barcelona y El Raval tal recorrido se halle todavía en sus primeros pasos nos permite observar y analizar de manera privilegiada, precisamente, el modo en que se establece el vínculo entre determinados espacios, organizaciones y comunidades. Así pues, partiendo de una etnografía en el barrio de El Raval, tratando de evitar generalizaciones para introducir matices, este artículo quiere contribuir también a comprender la naturaleza de dicho vínculo, por supuesto, sin darla por sentada

Lipid-specific immunoglobulin M bands in cerebrospinal fluid are associated with a reduced risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy during treatment with natalizumab

[Objective]: Progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) is a serious side effect associated with natalizumab treatment in multiple sclerosis (MS). PML risk increases in individuals seropositive for anti–John Cunningham virus (JC) antibodies, with prolonged duration of natalizumab treatment, and with prior exposure to immunosuppressants. We explored whether the presence of lipid‐specific immunoglobulin M oligoclonal bands in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; IgM bands), a recognized marker of highly inflammatory MS, may identify individuals better able to counteract the potential immunosuppressive effect of natalizumab and hence be associated with a reduced risk of developing PML. [Methods]: We studied 24 MS patients who developed PML and another 343 who did not suffer this opportunistic infection during natalizumab treatment. Patients were recruited at 25 university hospitals. IgM bands were studied by isoelectric focusing and immunodetection. CSF lymphocyte counts were explored in 151 MS patients recruited at Ramon y Cajal Hospital in Madrid, Spain. [Results]: IgM bands were independently associated with decreased PML risk (odds ratio [OR] = 45.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.9–339.3, p < 0.0001) in patients treated with natalizumab. They were also associated with significantly higher CSF CD4, CD8, and B‐cell numbers. Patients positive for IgM bands and anti‐JC antibodies had similar levels of reduced PML risk to those who were anti‐JC negative (OR = 1.55, 95% CI = 0.09–25.2, p = 1.0). Higher risk was observed in patients positive for anti‐JC antibodies and negative for IgM bands (19% of the total cohort, OR = 59.71, 95% CI = 13.6–262.2). [Interpretation]: The presence of IgM bands reflects a process that may diminish the risk of PML by counteracting the excess of immunosuppression that may occur during natalizumab therapy. Ann Neurol 2015;77:447–457This work was supported by grants; PI12–00239 from FIS; Instituto de Salud Carlos III; SAF 2012‐34670, and RD12/0032/0005 from the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness; and BMBF grant KKNMS (Competence Net Multiple Sclerosis; H.T.)