Centre for the Study of Islam in the Contemporary World

Reports, Articles and Publications

There are numerous print and multimedia resources available on the topic of Muslims in Britain.

Recent reports, articles and discussion papers (by date)

East is East play review (2014)

A review of the 2014 restaging of 'East is East' at Trafalgar Studies in London starring Ayub Khan Din. This review was written by Peter Cherry, PhD Student in the Department of English Literature, University of Edinburgh.

Taking Part: Muslim participation in contemporary governance

Led by the University of Bistol, Muslim Participation in Contemporary Governance is a research project that was funded by the AHRC/ESRC joint research programme on Religion & Society from July 2010 to December 2012. The project investigates how UK governance includes British Muslims and how Muslims themselves become involved in consultations, partnerships, and governance networks. Academic researchers have built a growing understanding of British Muslim protest and activism from the Salman Rushdie Affair until today. Yet the participation of British Muslims in policymaking and implementation, and in local and national processes of governing remains largely an untold story.

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Contextualising Islam in Britain II

This far-reaching report produced by the HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal Centre of Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge reflects on a series of four major symposia which created an independent and open space for a group of scholars, activists, and community leaders with a diverse spectrum of views from across Britain's Muslim communities to come together to debate a question of pressing topical importance: what does it mean to live faithfully as a Muslim in Britain today?

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Muslim Intergration in Scotland

Produced in 2010 by Ipsos MORI Scotland for the British Council, this report examines the perceptions of Scottish Muslims and non-Muslims, both of each other and of their respective attitudes to national and cultural identification and integration.

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Post intergration "difference" and integration: The case of Muslims in Western Europe

A report published by the British Academy and authored by Professor Tariq Modood.

Twenty-first century Europe is home to a mixture of ethnicities, religions and cultures. Alongside this diversity is a fear of and hostility towards immigrants - to Muslims in particular - and an unresolved debate on how and to what extent the individuals and groups in question should integrate within society.

Counter-terrorism policy, the press, and the impact on Irish and Muslim communities in Britain

A comparative study of the representations of ‘suspect’ communities in multi-ethnic Britain and of their impact on Muslim and Irish communities.

Co-authored by Prof. Mary J Hickman, (Institute for the Study of European Transformations, Faculty of Applied Social Sciences, London Metropolitan University), Dr Sara Silvestri (Department of International Politics, City University London) and Dr Henri Nickels (European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Vienna, Austria).

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Interculturalism: Europe and its Muslims in search of sound societal model

The simmering debate in Europe about multiculturalism versus assimilation has now come to a boil. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, famously stated in October 2010 that “multiculturalism in Germany (Multikulti) had failed, completely failed”. In February 2011, both Prime Minister David Cameron and President Nicholas Sarkozy could also be heard declaring that multiculturalism was a failure, although only the French President endorsed assimilation as the alternative. Others argue that both assimilation and multiculturalism have failed.

These dramatic statements represent the challenge of interpretation and policy analysis to which this book is addressed. If these single words can identify a failure of society and of the policies of government, then there has to be a better model, concept and policy. This study tries to work towards a better solution, and uses the term ‘interculturalism’ to represent that solution.

The impact of counter-terrorism measures on Muslim communities (2011)

An illuminating and extensive report produced by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

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Soundings

Read other reports and reflections on the Government's revised counter-terrorism strategy and its impact on Muslim communities on the Soundings website.

Soundings is a forum for discussion concerning policy matters and their impact on Muslim communities in Britain.

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Equality and Human Right Commission Research Reports

Follow the link to access all research reports commissioned by the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

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Mosques in Europe: Why a solution has become a problem

A collection of articles edited by Stefano Allievi. Part of the Network of European Foundation's "Religion and Democracy in Europe" initiative.

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Islamophobia and Muslim Hate Crime: UK Case Studies 2010

An introductory report produced by the University of Exeter with support from Al Jazeera and the Cordoba Foundation.

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Experiences of Muslims Living in Scotland (2011)

A recent report produced by the Scottish Government offering a useful overview of the contemporary experience of Muslim communities across Scotland.

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A Minority Within a Minority: A Report on Converts to Islam in the UK (2011)

A report commissioned by Faith Matters which received a great deal of media attention when first published.

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The Training and Development of Muslim Faith Leaders: Current practice and future possibilities

This independent report was commissioned under the last Government in response to requests from Muslim communities.

This report's main aim was to explore and evaluate the current training provisions for British Muslim faith leaders and to identify any gaps in this training.

This final report includes a number of key messages and action points for educational institutions, Muslim community organisations and Government.

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When Hope and History Rhyme (2010)

A discussion paper by Maurice Irfan Coles exploring Islam, citizenship and education.

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Contextualising Islam in Britain: Exploratory Perspectives (2010)

A far-reaching report prepared by the Alwaleed Centre for Islamic Studies at the University of Cambridge.

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Seen and Not Heard: Voices of Young British Muslims (2009)

Edited by Sughra Ahmed and published by the Policy Research Centre of the Islamic Foundation in Leicester.

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Key Reading

Muslims in Britain: an Introduction

By S. Gilliat-Ray, Cambridge University Press, 2010.

Young, British and Muslim

By P. Lewis, London: Continuum, 2007.

Muslim Britain: Communities under Pressure

By T. Abbas (ed.), London: Zed Books, 2005.

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

By N.A. Kabir, Edinburgh University Press, 2010.

Islamic Radicalism and Multicultural Politics: The British Experience

by Tahir Abbas (2011)

Crime and Muslim Britain: Race, Culture and the Politics of Criminology Among British Pakistanis

Marta Bolognani (2009)

Race, Religion & Muslim Identity in Britain

Abdul Bari, M. (2004)

Globalization, Americanization and British Muslim Identity

Ameli, S.R. (2002)

The Infidel Within: Muslims in Britain since 1800

Ansari, H. (2005)

Muslims in prison: challenge and change in Britain and France

Beckford, J.A., Joly, D. & Khosrokhavar, F. (2005)

Islam in the British broadsheets: the impact of orientalism on representations of Islam in the British press

Elzain Elgamri (2008)

Muslims and the state in Britain, France, and Germany

Fetzer, J. S., & Soper, J. C. (2005)

Islam in Victorian Britain: The Life and Times of Abdullah Quilliam

Ron Geaves (2010)

Sufis of Britain: an exploration of Muslim identity

Ron Geaves (2000)

Britain's First Muslims: Portrait of an Arab Community

Halliday, F (2010)

Muslims in Britain: Race, Place and Identities

Edited By: Peter Hopkins and Richard Gale (2009)

Britannia's crescent : making a place for muslims in British society

Joly, D. (1995)

Islamic Britain: religion, politics, and identity among British Muslims

Lewis, P (1994)

Citizenship, Identity and the Politics of Multiculturalism: The Rise of Muslim Consciousness

Nasar Meer (2010)

Multicultural politics : racism, ethnicity, and muslims in Britain

Modood, T (2005)

Reporting Islam: media representations of British Muslims

Elizabeth Poole (2002)

Imagined Diasporas Among Manchester Muslims: The Public Performance of Pakistani Transnational Identity Politics

Pnina Werbner (2002)