Centocelle—Between Urban Spatiality and Religious Diversity: Anatomy of a Changing Neighbourhood in Rome

This paper provides an overview of the religious and social space generated by the Islamic Cultural Association Al Huda in the Roman neighbourhood of Centocelle, focusing on the issue of urban religion and cultural heritage. In recent decades this geographical area has been experiencing many changes, and, in this regard, the main aim of this article is to investigate the relevance of the Muslim centre as a driving force of the urban reconfiguration of Centocelle, due to the intersection of emerging religious needs and socio-economic demands. Based on interviews with people living and working in Centocelle and the fieldwork within the area, this paper tackles questions related to the ongoing transformation of the geographical context and suggests an interpretation of the socio-cultural dynamics that underlie the relationships between Muslims and non-Muslim believers. Relying on the perspective of geography of religions, the common thread of the article is an approach that privileges the paradigm of the spatial turn as a vector of understanding the interrelated plural and social dynamics, in order to highlight the new perceptions of urban space and to contextualise them.