In Search of Their Places: Religious Identity and Leisure Practices of Muslims in the Urban Environment (The Case of Moscow)

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2026-2/240-252

Authors

Keywords:

religious identity, leisure, Muslims, immigrants, space, urban Islam

Abstract

This article analyzes how urban spaces become venues for leisure practices, where Muslims from different ethnocultural groups construct their everyday life and, to some extent, reduce interethnic tensions. A soccer field and a playground serve as unifying urban spaces, linking the immigrant community and local residents. The paper examines everyday activities, values, rituals, leisure interactions involving religious identities, as well as barriers in ordinary urban settings. It is concluded that Muslims combine cultural and religious practices outside of urban spaces, demonstrating the flexibility of religious identity in the context of everyday leisure. The findings demonstrate that leisure spaces provide a platform for building trust, mutual support, and mutual adaptation. 

Author Biography

  • Elvina Ryazanova , the Russian Academy of Sciences N. N. Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology

    Ryazanova, Elvina F. — Ph.D. in History, Senior Researcher, the Russian Academy of Sciences N. N. Miklouho-Maklay Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology (Moscow, Russian Federation). E-mail: elvinaryazanova@gmail.com ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1860-4163

    For citation: Ryazanova, E. F. 2026. In Search of Their Places: Religious Identity and Leisure Practices of Muslims in the Urban Environment (The Case of Moscow). Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik Antropologii) 2: 240-252.

    Funding: The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation grant No 25-28-01536. https://rscf.ru/project/25-28-01536/

    References

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Published

11.06.2026

Issue

No. 2 (2026): Herald of Anthropology (Vestnik antropologii)

Section

Muslims of Moscow