Dr Tahir Abbas

University of Birmingham, UK

Muslims in Britain

Abstract

This theoretical and conceptual paper explores the phenomenon of Islamic political radicalism in Western Europe, in particular Britain, and the challenges that emerge in relation to the maintenance of a successful multicultural project. Analysing recent events in Western Europe, namely the Madrid train bombings and the murder of Theo van Gogh in 2004 and the London suicide bombings in 2005, this paper argues that Islamic political radicalism is on the increase because of factors that are both endogenous and exogenous to the various Muslim minority communities. Local, national and international pressures conspire to compound the aspirations, expectations, attitudes and perceptions of already disenfranchised groups. The layers of the ‘radicalisation onion’ are peeled away to explore the nature of the experience of Muslim minorities, analysing questions of evolving Islamic politic identities in the context of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the USA and subsequent ‘war on terror’. The dynamics of Islamic political radicalisation are discussed, specifically alluding to the Qur’anic ideals that ‘Jihadis’ variously appropriate. The discussion explores the ways in which the nation-state has involved Muslim elite groups in acting as a bridge between government and the Muslim citizen. Many young Muslims view these actions cynically with elites vying for position and profile in an intensely active period of political manoeuvring. In conclusion, it is argued that should the status quo remain intact, the threat of Islamic political radicalisation will persist and solutions will be as much dependent upon the nation-state becoming aware of its potential role while disaffected Muslim minorities continue to develop positive theological and sociological approaches to life in the non-Muslim West.

Bio

Tahir Abbas is director of the study of ethnicity and culture, University of Birmingham. His latest book (as editor) is Muslim Britain: Communities under Pressure (Zed, 2005). His next will be British Islam: The Road to Radicalism (Cambridge University Press, 2006).

His current interests are Ethno-Religious Identities of British Muslims and Islam in Britain; Education of British South Asians; Ethnic Entrepreneurialism; Ethnicity, Judiciary and the Criminal Justice System; ‘Race’, Ethnicity and Multiculturalism Theory, Policy and Practice