‘I need work!’: The Multiple Roles of the Church, Ranking and Religious Piety Among Domestic Workers in Egypt

Abstract

Religion is important to both Egyptian and non-Egyptian women involved in domestic work. The present paper argues that church in particular is a publicly accessible focal point for both Muslim and Christian migrants and asylum seekers in Egypt, providing opportunities for collective worship and conviviality and supplying practical assistance to migrants, including southern Sudanese refugees, many of whom are domestic workers. Informal networks, including those sponsored by religious...