(PREPRINT) Masks, Mosques, and Lockdowns: Islamic Organisations Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic in Germany

Abstract

Based on fieldwork in the German state of Lower Saxony, the article investigates Covid-19 related responses by Islamic associations and local mosques. The inquiry focuses on the time prior to the first lockdown, during mosque closures, and around the opening phase, covering the months between February 2020 and November 2020. Drawing on organisational sociology, Islamic studies, and research on pandemics, the article contributes to the debate on the contested nature of Islamic representation and the institutionalisation of Islam in Germany, by analysing internal and relational dynamics, different and converging strategies, external challenges and cooperation by Islamic authorities during the first Covid-19 wave in Germany.