“This is Not the Holy Land”: Gendered Filipino Migrants in Israel and the Intersectional Diversity of Religious Belonging

Abstract

Social research has highlighted the positive outcomes of religious faith andpractice for integration and belonging amongst migrants of different genders.However narratives of Filipino migrants in Israel suggest that religion, genderand belonging may not go hand-in-hand. By applying Anthias’ intersectionalframework of ‘translocational positionality’, a wider range of religious faithcan be taken into account beyond gendered patterns amongst participants andactivists in religious communities. Religious belief and gender intersect withother social locations, leading to the expression of complex orientations tobelonging: where people believe they fit into the social order. Going beyondthe categories of religion and gender to take in other intersections is essentialin understanding the experiences of “non-organised” believers – and nonbelievers– as well as active religious participants.