Part of the British mainstream? British Muslim students and Islamic Student Associations

Abstract

In recent years, fear of ‘the other’ has focused particularly on ‘home grown’ second-generation Muslims. In the aftermath of the 7 July 2005 bombings in London, there was particular horror and incredulity expressed about the fact that many of the bombers had been born and raised in Britain, and universities have been increasingly regarded by various analysts and politicians as potential ‘hotbeds of extremism.’ Yet apart from sensationalistic images of British Muslims as threatening radicals, we still have relatively little in-depth information about the vast majority of ordinary British Muslim young people in higher education. This article explores young British Muslim students' views and experiences of Islamic Student Associations (ISOCs) at three universities in the southeast. What motivates Muslim students to join ISOCs and can we determine clear differences between those who join ISOCs and those who do not? While there is growing evidence that younger British Muslims are more politicized than their parents, and are more likely to mobilize around their identity as Muslims, most British Muslim students' involvement in ISOCs does not pose a threat to British society or to their ability to negotiate their British and Muslim sense of selves.

Keywords:

• Muslims
• British
• university
• extremism
• Islamic Student Associations
• second generation
• students
• identity

Acknowledgements

This article is based on a NORFACE funded research project, ‘Ethnic relations and religious mobilization of the European second generation: comparing Muslims youth in multicultural cities’ (July 2007–September 2010), led by Professor Karen Phalet, University of Leuven.

Notes

1. Over one-third (38%) of the British Muslim population live in London, and Muslims constitute 8% of the total London population (over 10% in some boroughs) (OPM 2009, 57). Muslims have the youngest age profile of all the religious groups in London, as half of the London Muslim population is under the age of 24 (OPM 2009).