“Were you treated differently because you wore the hijab?”: Everyday Islamophobia, racialization and young Turks in Britain

Abstract

Numerous studies suggest that British society is becoming more Islamophobic, and Muslims, especially youth, in Britain have been its victims. But while there is growing evidence of how they have been targets of explicit and severe instances of Islamophobia, less attention has been focused on how they are also targets of its subtle and implicit forms. The purpose of this paper is to examine how Islamophobia manifests in everyday interactions and how Muslims are racialized from the perspective of one of its supposed victims that has been so far under-researched, i.e., young Turks in Britain. The young Turks’ accounts about themselves and their immediate circle of relatives revealed that Turks in the UK experience Islamophobia, but that it is often enacted during mundane interactions without ever becoming explicit. Visible Turkish-Muslim women, however, are the target of everyday Islamophobia far more than Turkish men and secular women, both of whom do not display any religious signifiers in public places. They face Islamophobia at the intersection of gender and religion. Many Turkish women are racialized through the hijab which is interpreted and described in ways that draw upon a set of symbolic meanings and associations. In addition, contrary to what has been discussed about the Islamophobic experiences of Muslim women in previously conducted studies, the evidence of this research shows that Islamophobia appeared to visible Turkish women more frequently in a more mundane, subtle way.

Navigating Racialisation and Whiteness: British Turks’ Struggles for Belonging in Multiscale Public Spaces within the UK

“…The literature, however, lacks the specific and differentiated ways British Turks, as putatively white Muslims, have been racialized in multi-scale spaces in Britain. The only work carried out particularly focused on Turkish citizens and their racialization explores the role of media and policymakers in sustaining Islamophobia from the perspectives of its victims (Babacan, 2021). This study equally deepens understanding of the racialization of Muslims and highlights covert forms of everyday Islamophobia.…”

“…This is further discussed in the following sections and includes a myriad of attributes, including cultural traits such as Turkish names, accents, and the reification of Islam as a conflict of values with white Europeanness (Sayyid, 2018), which intersects class distinctive hierarchies in the UK context. My argument is therefore dedicated to exploring the various ways in which individuals of British Turkish descent are subjected to racialization, stemming from attributes related to culture, ethnicity, class, religion, profession, physical appearance, or the complex intersections of these factors (Babacan, 2021). Before I further delve into the narratives and context where complex and nuanced manifestations of the racialization of British Turks as Muslim, Turkish, "non-British," and "Other" in what follows, I will shed light on the historical context that has shaped the experiences of British Turks in this multicultural landscape.…”

Intercultural Communication in the Perspective of Orientalism and Colonialism Against Islamophobia

“…When Islamophobia is seen as just another kind of racism, it's hard to see what it's for and how it works. As the discussion of the historical roots of Islamophobia showed, specific histories and contexts must be considered to understand the common themes that are used to express Islamophobia today (Babacan, 2022). Several scholars have pointed out how imperial, colonial, and orientalist discourses have been re-articulated to fit the social and political needs of the present time.…”

Modesty Versus Stigma: International Perceptions of Muslim Women's Clothing

“…Furthermore, females from Turkey are identified as being stereotyped by the hijab, which is translated and depicted in ways that depend on a set of symbolic implications and associations. 31 which can lead to trauma and harmful effects on mental health. 32 Likewise, In the US, Muslim women-mostly those donning headscarves or the hijab-are frequently the targets of violent attacks and hate speech about Muslims, which is anticipated to hurt their mental health.…”