Transnational Sacred Networks: A Framework for Cultural Memory and Religion

Thesis Abstract

The study investigates how transnational sacred networks function as vehicles for cultural memory in contemporary religious landscapes, addressing the problem of fragmented memory across diasporic communities and global religious authorities. It argues that transnational sacred networks—encompassing pilgrimage circuits, digital sacred spaces, cross-border lay leadership, and translocal ritual repertoires—constitute a distinctive framework through which memory, authority, and identity are produced, negotiated, and transmitted across borders. The aim is to develop an integrative framework that explicates mechanisms of memory legitimization, circulation of sacred narratives, and the negotiation of religious authority within interconnected networks. The specific objectives are (1) to map and classify the actors, sites, and mediators within transnational sacred networks across three case contexts (Catholic pilgrimage corridors in Europe, Sufi orders in West Asia and North Africa, and Buddhist intangible heritage networks in East Asia); (2) to identify the practices, technologies, and rituals that facilitate memory transmission and legitimation across borders; (3) to delineate the role of digital platforms in shaping collective memory and authority claims; (4) to theorize the relationship between network topology and the stability or transformation of cultural memory; and (5) to propose a refined theoretical framework—the Transnational Sacred Networks Model (TSNM)—that integrates memory studies, religious authority, and network theory. The methodology employs a multi-sited, mixed-methods design. The population comprises actors within designated sacred networks, including clergy, lay leaders, pilgrims, and digital content curators, with a purposive sample of 120 participants across forty field sites and online platforms. Data collection instruments include semi-structured interviews (n=60), participant observation at select pilgrimage events (n=6), digital ethnography of online sacred communities and social media groups (12 months of data), and archival/document analysis of hagiographies, travel itineraries, and network manifestos. The study also analyzes a dataset of 2,500 online posts and media artefacts using thematic analysis to identify memory repertoires and authority claims, and applies Social Network Analysis (SNA) to map network ties, centrality measures, and information flow. Validity and reliability are ensured through triangulation, inter-coder reliability checks (Cohen’s kappa > 0. eight), and member-checking with key informants. Analytical procedures integrate qualitative and quantitative strands. Thematic analysis will identify core memory themes, ritual repertoires, and discourses of legitimacy. SNA will reveal network structure, identify central nodes, bridges between communities, and pathways for memory transmission. Regression analyses will examine the relationship between network centrality and perceived authority or authenticity of sacred narratives. A grounded theory approach will be employed to refine the TSNM, with iterative coding cycles and constant comparison to empirical findings. Ethical considerations include informed consent, sensitivity to sacred sites, confidentiality safeguards, and culturally respectful representation of religious actors. Expected findings indicate that transnational sacred networks operate through interlocking axes of pilgrimage, digital mediation, and translocal ritualization, producing standardized memory repertoires while enabling localized reinterpretations. It is anticipated that highly centralized nodes (e.g., major pilgrimage institutions or charismatic leaders) exert disproportionate influence on memory contagion, whereas distributed networks foster pluralities of sacred narratives and smoother negotiation of authority. Digital platforms are expected to have a dual role amplifying authoritative discourses through algorithmic promotion while also enabling counter-memories and minority voices to resurface. The study anticipates identifying a typology of memory repertoires—canonical, interpretive, and hybrid—corresponding to network configurations and historical contingencies. The contribution to knowledge lies in advancing a novel, integrative framework—the Transnational Sacred Networks Model—that synthesizes memory studies, religious authority, and network theory to account for memory production, circulation, and legitimation in global religious life. It offers methodological innovations by combining SNA with digital ethnography and thematic analysis within a multi-sited design. The findings will inform scholars of religion, anthropology, and cultural studies, as well as practitioners engaged in heritage management and interfaith dialogue. Practical recommendations include strategies for safeguarding diverse memory voices within transnational networks, ethical guidelines for digital sacred spaces, and policy implications for the governance of transnational religious heritage, including safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and ensuring equitable representation across actors and genders. The main conclusion is that transnational sacred networks function as dynamic, interoperable ecosystems where cultural memory is continuously produced through relational practices, with implications for authority, identity, and the global visibility of religious traditions.