Conclusions: The Anti-modern Modernity

This chapter serves as a conclusion to the previous eight chapters exploring Italians’ conversion to Shiʿism. As demonstrated throughout the book, this work aimed to address two interconnected questions: the reasons behind conversions of Italians to Shiʿism and the doctrinal aspects of “Italian Shiʿism”. The interplay between push and pull factors involved in this religious mobility, along with the doctrinal features that Shiʿism develops in Italy due to the activities of converts, highlights the significance of considering push-pull factors in understanding religious conversions. In this study, anti-modern currents such as Guénon’s school, which underlines the crisis of the modern world, played a significant role in persuading individuals to explore non-Catholic spiritual paths in response to this perceived crisis. Specifically, in the case of Shiʿa converts, the Iranian Revolution played a crucial role in fostering the belief that Shiʿism offered a superior spiritual option. The synergy between these two factors motivated conversions and shaped the emergence of “Italian Shiʿism”.