Sufism and Politics among Senegalese Immigrants in Columbus, Ohio: Ndigel and the Voting Preferences of a Transnational Community
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: The electoral ndigël is a voting command issued by some Senegalese Sufi leaders to their followers in support of one political party or another.Since 1946, this phenomenon has exemplified the religious leaders' influence on the electoral outcomes.In the last decades, however, the electoral ndigël seems to have declined in influence, especially among the Senegalese voters in the diaspora who can partake in Senegalese elections through 'distance-voting programs.'By analyzing the electoral preferences of Senegalese citizens in Columbus, Ohio, this study argues that the decline of the electoral ndigël in this particular locality is based on the diasporic voters' acquisition of a greater political awareness, achievement of financial independence and exposure to a politically more secular American culture.The study is structured in five chapters.Chapter 1 provides a historical background on the evolution of the religion-politics nexus in Senegal.It discusses different phases of Islamic militancy and explains how the state-tarixa relationship has evolved overtime.Chapter 2 examines how deterritorialization of Senegalese Sufi taalibés in general has contributed to the globalization of Senegalese tarixas in different ways.Chapter 3 discusses the methodology of research and data collection.Chapter 4 focuses on the case study, Columbus (Ohio), and discusses the translation of that globalization into 'long-
Author: Samba Camara
Institution: Ohio University
Language: English
Subfield: Demography
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2346001275