Religious Group Identification and Inter-Religious Relations: A Study Among Turkish-Dutch Muslims

Following social identity theory, this research examines the relationship between group identifi cation and intergroup relations by focusing on religion. Religious as well as Dutch national group identifi cation was examined among Turkish-Dutch Muslims. Identifi cation was studied in relation to general affective ratings of multiple religious groups (Muslims, Christians, Hindustanis, Jews and non-believers) and the endorsement of Islamic group rights. The results show that Muslim identifi cation was more like a nominal (high or ‘total’ identifi cation) than a continuous variable, and that many participants showed low identifi cation with the national group. The affective ratings of religious out-groups were quite negative, particularly of the Jews and non-believers. Muslim identifi cation was positively and strongly related to feelings toward the religious in-group and to the endorsement of Islamic group rights. National identifi cation was positively related to feelings toward the religious out-groups, but only for ‘total’ Muslim identifi ers, supporting the mutual intergroup differentiation model. The fi ndings are discussed in relation to social psychological thinking about group identifi cation and the importance of religion for intergroup relations.