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British Muslim Youth: An Introduction to the Topic and the Field

British Muslim Youth: An Introduction to the Topic and the Field. Sadek Hamid. Content. British Muslim Demographics Education Housing Employment Poverty Crime State of the Literature Issues Concerns. Demographics.

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British Muslim Youth: An Introduction to the Topic and the Field

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  1. British Muslim Youth: An Introduction to the Topic and the Field Sadek Hamid

  2. Content • British Muslim Demographics • Education • Housing • Employment • Poverty • Crime • State of the Literature • Issues • Concerns

  3. Demographics • Current population of between 1.6 -1.8 million people, (total population of approximately 60 million people) • Around 50% are under the age of 25 and approx 33 % under the age of 16 • Around 68% are of South Asian origin (Source: National Statistics 2001 Census)

  4. Demographics continued… • 46% of Muslims had been born in the UK • 34% of Muslim households contained more than 5 people • 38% of Muslims live in London (Source: National Statistics 2001 Census)

  5. Education • In 2004, 67 % of Indian, 48% of Bangladeshi and 45% of Pakistani pupils gained five or more grades A* to C at GCSE (or equivalent), compared with 52% of White British pupils (Source: Social Trends No. 36, 2006) • 31% of young British Muslims leave school with no qualifications compared to 15% of the total population (Source: 2001 Census)

  6. Housing • In 2001 52% of Muslim households did not own their own home  • Muslim households were the most likely to experience overcrowding. One third of Muslim households (32%) lived in overcrowded accommodation • Muslim households were the most likely to lack central heating (12%) (Source: National Statistics 2001 Census report on faith)

  7. Employment • In 2004, 28% of 16-24-year-old Muslims were unemployed.  This compares with only 11% of Christians of the same age (Source: National Statistics 2001 Census report on faith) • In 2004, a fifth of Muslims were self-employed • In 2004 almost seven in ten (69%) Muslim women of working age were economically inactive.  (Source: Social Trends No. 36, 2006)

  8. Poverty • 35 % of Muslim households have no adults in employment, (more than double the national average) (Source: 'Muslim Housing Experience‘ Oxford Centre for Islamic Studies) • Just under three-quarters of Bangladeshi and Pakistani children (73%) are living in households below the poverty line (60% of median income) (Source: DWP: Households Below Average Income 1994/5 - 2000/01)

  9. Crime • 47% of Muslim students have experienced Islamophobia  (Source: FOSIS survey, 2005) • Almost 10% of the prison populations are Muslim, two-thirds of whom are young men aged 18-30 (Source: Prison Service statistics, 2004) • Between 2001 and 2003 there was a 302% increase in 'stop and search' incidents among Asian people, compared with 118% among white people.  (Source: HO, Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System, 2004)

  10. Books • Young Muslims in Britain: Attitudes, Educational Needs and Policy Implications • Islam in Transition:Religion and Identity Among British Pakistani Youth • Muslim Britain: Communities Under Pressure • Infidel Within: Muslims in Britain Since 1800 • Americanisation, Globalisation and British Muslim Identity • Diaspora Youth and Ancestral Homeland: British Pakistani / Kashmiri Youth Visiting Kin in Pakistan and Kashmir • Muslim European Youth: Reproducing Ethnicity, Religion, Culture • Young, British & Muslim

  11. Reports • Muslims in Britain • Muslim Youth Speak • Bengali Transition into Adulthood • Made in Bradford) • MCB’s Muslim Youth Voices • Youth & Policy : Muslim Youth Work • Muslim Youth Helpline

  12. Magazines • Emel • Q-News • Revival • Trends

  13. Memoirs • ‘Only Half of Me’ • ‘From My Sisters Lips’ • ‘Enemy Combatant’ • ‘The Islamist’ • ‘Hizbut Tahrir: A Thinking Mans Al Qaeda’

  14. External Challenges • Over crowded housing • Educational under achievement • Unemployment • Racism • Islamophobia • Demonisation of young Muslim males • Lack of political representation

  15. Internal Challenges • Generation Gap • Cultural dislocation • Positive role model deficit • Substance addiction • Rise in crime and anti-social behaviour and related gang violence • Apathy • Fear of radicalisation and extremism

  16. Concerns According the Muslim Youth Helpline 2007 report, the top five main concerns affecting British Muslim Youth are: • Relationships • Mental Health • Religion • Offending & Rehabilitation • Sexuality & Sexual Health

  17. Also identified: • ineffective services for young Muslims • discontent over foreign policy • the difficulties of integrating when people have the dual identity of being British and a Muslim

  18. Concerns continued… • Many young Muslims feel they have an inadequate grasp of their own heritage and history, against which to balance the other influences in their lives. • Young Muslims are concerned about the way they are understood by the public (non-Muslim and Muslim) and portrayed in the media (Source: Young Muslims Speak, Peace Direct, 2006)

  19. Main Religious/Ideological Trends • Hizbut Tahrir • Salafi (apolitical & activists) • Jihadists • ‘Traditional Islam’ (activist Sufi) • Young Muslims Organisation (moderate Islamists) • Young Muslim UK (moderate Islamists) • Barelwi ( Devotional Sufi) • Deobandi/Tablighi Jamat (apolitical reformists)

  20. Is this the Face of British Muslim Youth?

  21. …or this ?

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