Developing a methodological tool for exploring sense of safety in religious spaces

Area of Science:

• Sociology of emotions
• Environmental psychology
• Urban studies
• Political philosophy

Background:

• Emotions profoundly influence human thought and behavior, yet religion's role in emotional experiences is often overlooked in social sciences.
• Psychological research on safety frequently neglects the societal and political dimensions of emotions.
• Sense of safety is a complex phenomenon influenced by social, spatial, and embodied factors within specific contexts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a methodological tool for empirically investigating the sense of safety within religious spaces.
• To explore how sense of safety is constructed and contested in religious environments.
• To advance a holistic understanding of human experience by integrating emotional, spatial, and socio-political dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Development of The Spiral Model, a one-plus-five dimensional framework for empirical exploration.
• The model integrates environmental psychology, urban studies, and political philosophy concepts.
• Application of the model through four diverse case studies: a church, LGBTQ+ Muslims, mikveh baths, and dance/religion intersections.

Main Results:

• The Spiral Model provides a structured approach to analyzing sense of safety in religious spaces.
• Case studies demonstrate the model's utility in data collection and analysis for diverse religious contexts.
• The research highlights the interplay between physical surroundings, social connections, and embodied emotions in shaping safety.

Conclusions:

• The Spiral Model offers a novel approach to studying sense of safety in religious spaces, integrating multiple disciplinary perspectives.
• The model has the potential to deepen the understanding of social space, belonging, and recognition.
• Further research is needed to refine and expand the application of The Spiral Model for a more comprehensive view of human experience.