Young British Muslims: Identity, Culture, Politics and the Media

by Nahid Afrose Kabir

Overview

In Britain’s highly politicised social climate in the aftermath of the 7/7 London bombings, this book provides an in-depth understanding of British Muslim identity. Nahid Kabir has carried out over 200 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with young Muslims in five British cities: London, Leicester, Bradford, Leeds and Cardiff. By emphasising the importance of biculturalism, Kabir conveys a realistic and hopeful vision for their successful integration into British society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780748646531
Publisher:	Edinburgh University Press
Publication date:	03/14/2012
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	256
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Nahid Afrose Kabir is Senior Research Fellow at the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding, University of South Australia. She was a visiting fellow (2009–2011) at the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Harvard University, USA. Dr Kabir is the author of 'Young British Muslims: Identity, Culture, Politics and the Media' (Edinburgh: Edinburgh UniversityPress 2010) and 'Muslims in Australia: Immigration, Race Relations and Cultural History' (London: Routledge 2005).

Table of Contents

List of tables and figures vi

List of abbreviations vii

Glossary viii

Acknowledgements x

Foreword xii

Introduction: my research observations 1

1 The identity debate 6

2 Muslims in Britain: an overview 29

3 The religious and cultural dilemma 58

4 To be or not to be British 79

5 Is the media biased against Muslims? 112

6 The niqab debate 143

7 Indignation about the proposal to include shariah law in Britain 169

Conclusion: a humanitarian way forward 199

Bibliography 219

Index 231

Editorial Reviews

Young British Muslims is to be welcomed as an important contribution.

Russell Sandberg

Makes a contribution to the nascent field of Muslim youth studies by offering windows into the hopes and aspirations of young British Muslims as well as presenting some interesting typologies of self-definition.

The American Journal of Islamic Social Sciences - Sadek Hamid

This volume makes a great contribution to the debate regarding the formation of young British Muslims’ identity by shedding enormous light on the issues of politics, culture, and media. The empirical findings and solid evidence provided in this volume merit particular attention by academics, policymakers, NGOs and the public. This book is highly accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students of the Middle Eastern Studies.

Human Rights Quarterly - Mahmood Monshipouri

"The book projects the sense that its subjects are real people living real, contingent lives. This is conveyed by the author's decision to quote verbatim rather than edit segments of her respondents' discourse, and to include in her tabulation of her statistical findings key points consisting of their individual remarks ... The value of such an approach is that it resists the seemingly ubiquitous judgement that young Muslims are 'a problem' - unstable and potential terrorists."—Geoffrey Nash, University of Sunderland, European Journal of Cultural Studies

"Packed with insight ... this is a book which students would really relate to, and it is a mine of information for teachers ... This excellent book effectively expresses the variety of positions held by British Muslims on important public issues."—Max Farrar, Emeritus Professor, Leeds Metropolitican University, Network: Magazine of the British Sociological Association

"Young British Muslims is to be welcomed as an important contribution."—Russell Sandberg, Cardiff University, LSE Review of Books

"A useful overview of issues relating to Muslims in Britain, with a particular focus on the political and media context of the last decade or more ... It is highly readable, with a clear structure and concise overview of significant socio-political issues ... A second strength can be found in the extensive qualitative material deployed to support more general discussions concerning familiar and high-profile political issues. The multiple voices of young Muslim participants in this study regularly shine through, highlighting the ways in which individuals form and express nuanced opinions, often on matters that are frequently simplified by mainstream discourse."—Carl Morris, Cardiff University, Islam and Christian—Muslim Relations

"This timely study is the result of extensive research undertaken on the identity of young Muslims in both Australia and the UK. Kabir's style and approach are refreshingly clear and informative as she guides the reader through a considered analysis of her own ethnographic fieldwork, drawing upon interviews with over 200 Muslims in five British cities: London; Leicester; Bradford; Leeds; and Cardiff, - with a focus on biculturalism and multiple identities... Her study raises important aspects of the way young British Muslims are actively demystifying and dismantling misconceptions on the part of both Muslims and non-Muslims and that they have 'the potential to be a tremendous asset to their home nation' (p.218)." — Ethnicity and Race in a Changing World: A Review Journal

From the Publisher

A useful overview of issues relating to Muslims in Britain, with a particular focus on the political and media context of the last decade or more... It is highly readable, with a clear structure and concise overview of significant socio-political issues... A second strength can be found in the extensive qualitative material deployed to support more general discussions concerning familiar and high-profile political issues. The multiple voices of young Muslim participants in this study regularly shine through, highlighting the ways in which individuals form and express nuanced opinions, often on matters that are frequently simplified by mainstream discourse.

Islam and Christian—Muslim Relations - Carl Morris

A useful overview of issues relating to Muslims in Britain, with a particular focus on the political and media context of the last decade or more … It is highly readable, with a clear structure and concise overview of significant socio-political issues … A second strength can be found in the extensive qualitative material deployed to support more general discussions concerning familiar and high-profile political issues. The multiple voices of young Muslim participants in this study regularly shine through, highlighting the ways in which individuals form and express nuanced opinions, often on matters that are frequently simplified by mainstream discourse.

Islam and Christian–Muslim Relations - Carl Morris

This timely study is the result of extensive research undertaken on the identity of young Muslims in both Australia and the UK. Kabir’s style and approach are refreshingly clear and informative as she guides the reader through a considered analysis of her own ethnographic fieldwork, drawing upon interviews with over 200 Muslims in five British cities: London; Leicester; Bradford; Leeds; and Cardiff, - with a focus on biculturalism and multiple identities… Her study raises important aspects of the way young British Muslims are actively demystifying and dismantling misconceptions on the part of both Muslims and non-Muslims and that they have "the potential to be a tremendous asset to their home nation" (p.218).'

Ethnicity and Race in a Changing World: A Review Journal - Jo Manby

The book projects the sense that its subjects are real people living real, contingent lives. This is conveyed by the author’s decision to quote verbatim rather than edit segments of her respondents’ discourse, and to include in her tabulation of her statistical findings key points consisting of their individual remarks ... The value of such an approach is that it resists the seemingly ubiquitous judgement that young Muslims are ‘a problem’ – unstable and potential terrorists.

European Journal of Cultural Studies - Geoffrey Nash

Packed with insight … this is a book which students would really relate to, and it is a mine of information for teachers… this excellent book effectively expresses the variety of positions held by British Muslims on important public issues.

Network: Magazine of the British Sociological Association - Max Farrar