Silent Voices: British Muslim Pupils in Mainstream Schools in East London

Religious identity choices in English secondary schools

“…In studies of the reported experiences of Muslim students, researchers have suggested during the transition from home to school, minority religious students have to develop ‘multiple cultural competence’ as the result of socialisation across conflicting contexts (Østberg, , p. 100). Similar processes have been conceptualised as identity ‘negotiation’, ‘formation’ or ‘maintenance’ in several studies (Jacobson, ; Zine, ; Peek, ; Hassan, ). Niensa et al.…”

“…Moreover, name‐calling, taunts and bullying can relate to religious identity and include anti‐Semitism, Islamophobia and anti‐Christian prejudice (CST, ; Weller et al., ). Negative relationships with teachers and perceptions of teachers' bias, unfairness, prejudice and stereotyping have also featured in Muslim students' reported experiences in studies in Western countries (Zine, ; Hassan, ).…”

“…There is a small body of international research which suggests that secondary schools can present challenges to students who practise or are associated with a religion—including practising adolescents who attend a faith school of their own faith (Rymarz & Graham, 2006). The mainstream values of secondary school peer groups can clash with those of religious adolescents who have had a traditional religious upbringing (Zine ; Peek ; Ipgrave & Mckenna, ; Hassan ). Moreover, name‐calling, taunts and bullying can relate to religious identity and include anti‐Semitism, Islamophobia and anti‐Christian prejudice (CST, ; Weller et al., ).…”

“…In the post‐9/11 socio‐political context, researchers have primarily directed attention to understanding how young Muslims may negotiate and construct their identities in Western societies and education systems (e.g. Archer, ; Peek, ; Mirza et al., ; Chaudhury & Miller, ; Hassan, ; Verkuyten & Yildoz, ). Representing a shift in the self‐definition of Muslim minorities and perceptions of researchers in the new millennium, in these studies, ‘Muslim’ samples and populations are identified by religious affiliation, rather than ethnic or national categories as in previous research (e.g.…”

“…While research has been conducted with adherents of single religions (e.g. Nesbitt, , ; Ipgrave, ; Hassan, ), in the past little research in England has had the broader focus of exploring the schooling experiences of religious adolescents as a group comprising a number of religious traditions and denominations with the intention of understanding the generic identity processes among them. There has also been little methodological innovation in this area.…”