To be or not to be recognized? : claims for recognition among Muslim minorities in Madrid

Abstract

ABSTRACT : Drawing on the notion of political subjectivity to enhance understanding of the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion existing in society, this chapter addresses the rights-claiming activities and strategies undertaken by certain actors in Spain who self-identify as Muslim. According to Krause and Schramm (2011), processes of political subjectivation do not only show how an individual –or a group of actors– enters in a position from which to claim rights, but also how networks of belonging are built and who grants recognition of these subject positions. The power of political subjectivity as an analytical concept resides precisely in the tension between recognition and misrecognition of claimants and their claims (Schramm et al. 2019). In recent years certain initiatives have emerged across different regions of the Spanish territory, undertaken to change situations of vulnerability and subordination endured by Muslim minorities. Based on documentary and fieldwork research conducted between 2018 and 2022, this chapter examines a selection of the main claims made by members of associations participated by Muslims, focusing on the nature of such claims, the public that is targeted and whether political subjectivity of the claimants is recognized or not