The Pluralism Project at Harvard University

Katherine Clark

University of Wisconsin-Madison
United by Tamizh Mozhi: Religious Diversity Among the Tamil Community of Wisconsin and Northern Illinois

The Tamil population in Wisconsin and northern Illinois is a rapidly growing, religiously diverse community made up of Hindus, Christians, and Muslims. Passionate cultural and language pride create the foundation for informal gatherings, annual functions, and regional Tamil associations. This project will explore the interaction and relationships between Hindu, Christian, and Muslim Tamilians in the context of their common ethno-linguistic identity.

In order to better understand the religious plurality within the Tamil diaspora community, I will approach this project from two different angles. First, I will spend time with individual Tamil families of different faiths, observing how they maintain religious practices and cultural traditions in their homes and places of worship. Then, by looking at the Tamil networks and associations in Wisconsin and northern Illinois, I will explore the ways that Tamil language instruction, cultural functions, and general community gatherings bring together Tamilians of different faiths, creating space for solidarity, inter-religious dialogue, and mutual transformation.

Dr. Joseph Elder is the faculty sponsor for this research.

Indo-Pak United Methodist Church (2004)