Feeling Like “Fullah”: The Challenges of Being a Religious Convert and Anthropologist

Authors

M. Chloe Mulderig, Boston UniversityFollow

Abstract

The medina of Fes has been the core of Morocco's cultural and religious identity for over a thousand years. After nearly a decade of working in the city, I returned in 2011 to begin research on young women's piety and the transmission of Islamic knowledge. Actively engaging in the religious communities of the city brought unforeseen challenges, as my own womanhood and piety were put on display. This article examines the dual role that some anthropologists can face: that of the scholar, and of the convert. Though an exploration of the position of the convert in a religious society, I was able to better develop my relationship with my informants, and to more accurately understand piety in 21^st century Fes.

Recommended Citation

Mulderig, M. Chloe (2011) "Feeling Like “Fullah”: The Challenges of Being a Religious Convert and Anthropologist," Journal of Contemporary Anthropology: Vol. 2 : Iss. 1, Article 7.
Available at: https://docs.lib.purdue.edu/jca/vol2/iss1/7