Muslim Citizens in the West. Spaces and Agents of Inclusion and Exclusion

Drawing upon original case studies spanning North America, Europe and Australia, Muslim Citizens in the West explores how Muslims have been both the excluded and the excluders within the wider societies in which they live. The book extends debates on the inclusion and exclusion of Muslim minorities beyond ideas of marginalisation to show that, while there have undoubtedly been increased incidences of Islamophobia since September 2001, some Muslim groups have played their own part in separating themselves from the wider society. The cases examined show how these tendencies span geographical, ethnic and gender divides and can be encouraged by a combination of international and national developments prompting some groups to identify wider society as the 'other'.

Muslim and non-Muslim scholars and practitioners in political science, social work, history and law also highlight positive outcomes in terms of Muslim activism with relationship to their respective countries and suggest ways in which increasing tensions felt, perceived or assumed can be eased and greater emphasis given to the role Muslims can play in shaping their place in the wider communities where they live.

Contents:
Part I Muslim Exclusion/Inclusion:The Context:
+ The dynamics of exclusion/inclusion: Australia as a case study, Samina Yasmeen
+ British Muslims: from cultural assimilation to social integration, Tahir Abbas
+ Engaging Europe’s Muslims: the European Union and Muslim migrants during the Eurozone crisis, Nina Marković and Samina Yasmeen
+ Faith, community, identity: Muslims’ search for religio-political space in America, Mumtaz Ahmad
+ ‘They want to turn to their religion. But they should turn to be Australians’: everyday discourses about why Muslims don’t belong in Australia, Farida Fozdar
+ Inclusion and exclusion: diasporic activism and minority groups, Adriaan Wolvaardt

Part II Excluded or Excluders: Women and Youth:
+ Neo-traditional Salafis in the West: agents of (self)-exclusion, Adis Duderija
+ Canadian Muslim youth: alienated or engaged?, Kathy Bullock
+ Economic inclusion and integration: Muslim women in Western Australia, Shamim Samani

Part III The Neglected Spaces: Art and Literature:
+ Extremists and moderates: French writers and Muslims of France, Hélène Jaccomard
+ Social inclusion of Australian Muslims through contemporary Muslim arts, Hamida Novakovich

Part IV Muslim Essentialism: Asian Examples:
+ Muslims in Singapore as a case study for understanding inclusion/exclusion phenomenon, Rahil Ismail
+ Islamic identity in the Indian public sphere: in relation to the state and in education, Tasneem Meenai

Part V From Exclusion to Inclusion:
+ The ‘Dutch experiment’: integration of Muslims in the Netherlands, Dick van der Meij and Nina Marković
+ Constructive integration: the case of Canadian Muslims, Zijad Delic

• Primary Source