British Muslim Girls Talk About Their Past, Present, and Future Lives

• In Event: 31.018 - Gender Equity Across Contexts

Abstract

This paper reports the preliminary findings of research with British Muslim teen girls who have grown up in England. The research is being conducted at a time of significant economic, political and cultural change as the UK debates the terms of its exit from the European Union following from a referendum that was fought on the back of fears about immigration. The girls have also grown up in the shadow of 9/11 amid concerns about ‘home-grown’ terrorism and insecurity. While the public and policy gaze has been on issues of cultural belonging and citizenship, the paper argues that there is a need for policy makers to seriously address the economic realities and the discrimination facing many Muslim women.

Author

• Farzana Shain, Keele University