ISLAM ONLINE - A Transforming Swedish Muslim Cyber Landscape

This study is based on the discussion of the rapid development and use of the Internet and its role in transforming the religious landscape. More specifically it focuses on the Swedish Muslim cyber landscape and how this has changed over the passed twelve years. Göran Larrsons study Svenska cybermuslimska miljöer i början av det 21 århundradet (Swedish Cybermuslim Enviroments in the start of the Twentyfirst Century) from 2001, is being used as a starting and reference point. The general purpose of this essay is to study religious change online. The specific aim is to investigate if and in that case, how and why the Swedish cyber-Islamic landscape has changed and developed in the last twelve years. The questions to be answered in this study are: - What Muslim actors (groups, individuals and organizations) are represented on Swedish web pages in 2013? - Have the Swedish Muslim cyber landscape changed with respect to the number of web pages, content and actors since 2001, and can these changes be understood and analyzed with the help of existing research on religion and new media and Islam and Muslims in Sweden? The result of this essay shows that there has been a dramatic change regarding the activity in the Swedish Muslim cyber landscape. There has been an increase of four hundred percent in the number of pages, from thirty-two in 2001 to hundred and forty 2013. Amongst other things the study reveals that more different interpretations and expressions of Islam can be found in the Swedish Muslim cyber landscape today compared to 2001, and there seem to be a larger degree of competition between groups and interpretations today. These changes are analysed and discussed with previous research and the possible explanations to this dramatic change on-line is linked to changes off-line, such as increased individualisation and relativization of religious authority, where alternative interpretations of Islam (both conservative and liberal) take more space. The changes in the Swedish Muslim cyber landscape may also reflect a larger degree of competition between Muslim groups and orientations off-line. Many Muslims in Sweden experience a situation of discrimination which also contribute to an increased activity online when the internet can be a place for marginalized voices to be heard. In the chapter's concluding section speculative questions are being raised about which groups dominate the Swedish cyber-Muslim environment