Institute of Empirical Religious Research

Research project on inter-religious partnerships

Are you in an inter-religious or inter-cultural relationship or have you been at one time and are interested in this research? Then we would be pleased if you would take part in this study.

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Most people consider their relationship as a very important part of their life. Over time, the partners know that different situations are integral to living together and that challenges and obstacles can enrich a partnership, but also put it to the test. Together they go through ups and downs on their life's journey. Thereby, challenges can also arise from external influences of culture and tradition. Couples from different cultural and religious contexts are often faced with the task of finding a new path in life together despite their differences.

To this end, a scientific study by the Universities of Fribourg and Bern will survey various relationship and religious aspects. For this purpose, we will ask you questions about yourself and your relationship. Some questions may be perceived as personal, but you can also use them to reflect on the issues raised there.

Just click on the link below and you will be automatically redirected to our online questionnaire.

Click here to access the study: the study is currently in preparation, please feel free to let us know if you would like to participate and we will take it into account at the beginning of the study. To do so, please go to the tab "Team & Contact", there you will find the telephone numbers and e-mail addresses of the contact persons.

Overview

Overview of the study

There is an increasing religious and cultural diversity in Switzerland. This also leads to an increase in inter-religious marriages and relationships. Today, an estimated 200,000 people in Switzerland live in inter-religious marriages and relationships. Despite these high numbers, the topic of inter-religious couple relationships in Switzerland has hardly been researched so far. In these couple relationships, ways of inter-religious togetherness are explored and lived out in practice. In this way, these couples make an important contribution to the preservation of religious peace in Switzerland's multi-religious and multicultural society.

This research project examines how various religious factors in interaction with psychological and social influences contribute to the success or failure of inter-religious couple relationships. In order to be able to assess the general relevance of the factors mentioned, about 900 people will be interviewed once in a broad online study on religious and couple psychological aspects. In addition, some of the people who participate together with their partner will also be accompanied over a period of 6 weeks. During this period, the couples will be asked to answer a short online questionnaire once a week about their relationship. We would like to interview a small group of couples about their experience in an interfaith relationship. In this way, more detailed insights into couple dynamics in interaction with religiosity will be gained. The results will not only complement the scientific exchange on inter-religious couple relationships, but also enrich the public discussion on the preservation of religious peace. In addition, practice-oriented recommendations for counselling centres and self-help groups will be developed.

Participation

What does the term "interfaith" mean and who can participate?

We understand this to mean couples in which one partner belongs to a different religion, such as if one partner is Muslim and the other is Christian, or if he is Christian and she is Buddhist. In this respect, we are interested in couples who belong to one of the 5 major world religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism or Hinduism. Even if they themselves are not religious in the classical sense or do not practice their religion, we are also interested if they grew up in one of the respective cultural and religious traditions through their parents or because of their country of origin. Couples who originally had a different religion and have converted and therefore now have the same religion as their partner or have a different religion than their partner due to the change of religion are also welcome to participate in the study!

Win a prize

What do I get for participating?

For taking part, you will receive your individual religiosity profile and, if you have taken part in the study as a couple, you will also receive scientifically based feedback on important aspects of your relationship, such as communication between partners. Furthermore, we will be giving away several Amazon vouchers worth CHF 100 each among all participants.

Team and contact

Research team

The research team consists on the one hand of the head of the project,  Prof. Dr. Huber (see contact box below) and Prof. Dr. Schöbi, and on the other hand of the two doctoral students: M. Sc. Maximiliane Uhlich und Dipl.-Psych. Michael Ackert (see contact box), who are responsible for the organisation and implementation of the study. Furthermore, Dr. Silvia Martens (see contact box below) and M.A. Karin Mykytjuk (see contact box below) support the team as associated researchers.

Supervision of the project at the University of Bern

Organisation and implementation of the project

Associated researchers in the project at the University of Bern

Funding

Who is funding and leading the research project?

The study is funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and is a collaboration between the Universities of Bern and Fribourg. It is located at the interface of two scientific disciplines. Professor Dr. Schöbi is a clinical family psychologist and covers the couples research part with his expertise. Professor Dr. Huber from the University of Bern is an empirical religious researcher and expert for the religious studies component. Two doctoral students, Maximiliane Uhlich and Michael Ackert, are also working on the project under the supervision of the two professors. For more details, see the tab "Team & Contact".

Data privacy

What happens with my data?

Your participation is voluntary, you can terminate the survey at any time without giving reasons and without any disadvantages for you. The data will be used exclusively for research purposes and no conclusions can be drawn about your person, i.e. you remain absolutely anonymous! There are no known disadvantages or risks associated with participating in the study and you are making an important contribution to research and society.

Literature recommendations

Further literature on the topic of interreligious and intercultural partnerships

Ali, K. (2006). Sexual ethics and Islam: feminist reflections on Qur’an, hadith, and jurisprudence. Oxford, England.

An-Na’im, A. & Chopra, R. (2005). Inter-religious marriages among Muslims: negotiating religious and social identity in family and community. New Delhi.

Ata, A. (2000). Intermarriage between Christians and Muslims. Ringwood, Australia.

Ata, A. (2009). Us and them: Muslim-Christian relations and cultural harmony in Australia. Australian Academic Press.

Beck, P. (2005). A flame still burns: the dimensions and determinants of Jewish identity among young adult children of the intermarried. New York.

Berger, P. & Luckmann, T. (1967). The social construction of reality. New York.

Blau, P. (1977). Inequality and heterogeneity: a primitive theory of social structure. New York.

Breger, R. & Hill, R. (1998). Cross-cultural marriage: identity and choice. Oxford.

Christodoulou, M. (2012). Amour, Islam et mixité: la construction des relations au sein des couples musulman/non-musulman. Louvain-la-Neuve.

Collet, B. (2000). Binationale Paare und Familien in Frankreich und Deutschland. In: Alber, J.-L. (Hg.), Grenzüberschreitend heiraten. (103-119). Fribourg.

Fishman, S. (2004). Double or Nothing: Jewish Families and Mixed Marriage. Hannover.

Friedmann, Y. (2003). Tolerance and coercion in Islam interfaith relations in the Muslim tradition. Cambridge.

Froese, R. (2005). Zwei Religionen - eine Familie. Guetersloh.

Goldmann, G. (2009). Intermarriage among Jews in Canada: a demographic perspective. In: Reinharz, S., & DellaPergola, S. (Hg.). Jewish intermarriage around the world. (S. 105-114). London.

Gordon, A. (1964). Intermarriage: Interfaith, Interracial, Interethnic. Boston.

Huber, S. (2007). Religionspsychologie: eine Anleitung zur Selbstreflexion: Huber.

Huber, F., Schweizer, E., & Huber, S. (2016). Interreligiöse Paarbeziehungen im Fokus der empirischen Religionsforschung. Der Forschungsstand im Überblick. In K. v. Stosch & A.-C. Baumann (Eds.), Ehe in Islam und Christentum (Vol. 19).

Mayer, E. (1983). Children of intermarriage: a study in patterns of identification and family life. New York.

Miller-Perrin, C., & Mancuso, E. K. (2014). Faith from a Positive Psychology Perspective. Dordrecht.

Parsian, D. (2008). Ehen zwischen Muslimen und Nicht-Muslimen in Österreich. Wien.

Paulus, C. (1999). Interreligiöse Praxis postmodern: eine Untersuchung muslimisch-christlicher Ehen in der BRD. Frankfurt a. Main.

Phillips, B. (1998). Children of intermarriage. Oxford.

Phillips, B. & Bayme, S. & Gordis, D. (1997). Re-examining intermarriage. S&D Wilstein Inst. of Jewish Policy Studies.

Putnam, R.D. & Campbell, D.E. (2010). American grace: how religion divides and unites us. New York.

Schoebi, D., Wang, Z., Ababkov, V., & Perrez, M. (2010). Daily Support across Cultural Contexts: A Comparison of Daily Support Experiences of Young Families in Four Cultural Contexts. In J. Davila & K. Sullivan (Eds.) Social Support Processes in Intimate Relationships. (pp. 335-359). New York.

Schreiner, K. (2015). Ein Paar-zwei Kulturen: So gelingt Liebe in einer globalisierten Welt. Fischer & Gann.

Seamon, E.B. (2012). Interfaith marriage in America: the transformation of religion and Christianity. New York.

Shachar, A. (2010). State, Religion and the Family: The New Dilemmas of Muliticultural Accommodation. In: Ahdar, R. (2010). Shariʿa in the West (115-133). Oxford.

Speelman, G.M. (2001). Keeping Faith: Muslim-Christian Couples and Interreligious Dialogue. Zoetermeer.

Spickard, P.R. (1989). Mixed blood: intermarriage and ethnic identity in twentieth-century America. Madison.

Waldis, B. (1998). Trotz der Differenz: interkulturelle Kommmunikation bei maghrebinisch-europäischen Paarbeziehungen in der Schweiz und in Tunesien. Freiburg.

Waldis, B. (2006). Migration and marriage: heterogamy and homogamy in a changing world. Zürich.