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Being a Muslim in Europe: Attitudes and Experiences

Researchers

Abstract:

While ethnic differences in socioeconomic, health and other circumstances have been shown to exist; as a form of classification, ethnic groups are often too heterogeneous to be a useful basis for understanding the processes underlying them. Research suggests that further dividing ethnic groups (by religion, for example) can provide important additional insight into these patterns. This study provides a unique opportunity to explore the impact of religious differences on the lives of people in Britain and Europe, and how they may enhance our understanding of ‘ethnicity’.

This study explores differences in health and socioeconomic circumstances, attitudes and discriminatory experiences among different ethno-religious communities, using data from the ONS Longitudinal Study, the Health Survey for England, the European Social Survey and the Muslims in Europe study. In particular, information on the attitudes of and towards different Muslim groups living in Europe will enable an investigation of variations in the experience of being ‘Muslim’ among groups who vary in terms of their geographical location, ethnicity and risk of racist and religious discrimination, and how far these experiences have been affected by the terrorist incidents in 2001 and 2004. Exploring the experiences of people who are members of the same religious, but different ethnic, groups, and people from the same ethnic, but different religious, groups will allow rare insight into the processes producing such differences.

Department:

Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, UCL

Duration:

October 2005 to September 2007

Grant Type:

Large Research Grant

Publications

Research findings [PDF]

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2010) Religion, ethnicity and health inequalities, In Graham, H. (ed.) Understanding Health Inequalities: 2nd Edition, Open University Press, Buckingham, in press

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2010) Influences on forms of European national identity and feeling ‘at home’ among different Muslim groups in Europe since September 2001, European Sociological Review, Under review

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2010) Ethnic and religious differences in the attitudes of South Asian people in England towards cultural integration and being ‘British’, Sociology, Under review.

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2010) Ethnic and religious variations in the reporting of racist victimisation in Britain, Sociological Review, Under review.

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2010) Religious and ethnic differences in health: evidence from the Health Surveys for England 1999 and 2004, Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, Under review.

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2009) Differences in the economic, health and social position of different Muslim groups in the UK and the implications for identity formation, In Stillwell, J., Norman, P., Thomas, C. and Surridge, P. (eds.) Spatial and Social Disparities Understanding Population Trends and Processes Volume 2, Springer, Dordrecht, in press

Presentations

Karlsen, S. and Nazroo, J. (2010) European identities and feeling at home in Europe among Muslims living in England, Germany and Spain: The impact of the events of 11 September 2001 and 11 March 2004, Presentation at XVII ISA World Congress of Sociology, Gothenburg 11-17 July, Abstract under consideration

Karlsen, S. (2010) Influences on national European identities among Muslims from Bangladesh, Turkey and Morocco living in Europe, presentation at Postcolonialism and Islam, University of Sunderland, 16/17 April, Abstract under consideration

Karlsen, S. (2009) Influences on a sense of 'Britishness' among different ethnic and religious groups in England, Presentation at the 9th European Sociological Association Conference, Lisbon 4 September.

Nazroo, J. and Karlsen, S. (2008) Being a Muslim in Europe: attitudes and experiences, Understanding Population Trends and Processes Conference, University of Leeds, 30 March.

Karlsen, S. (2007) Poverty, racism and identity in the lives of religious minority groups in England: How different are Muslims?, British Academy for the Advancement of Science: Festival of Science, York, 10 September.

Karlsen, S. (2007) Variations in discrimination by faith, Presentation at the 8th European Sociological Association Conference, Glasgow, 6 September.

Karlsen, S. (2007) Political participation among different Muslim groups in Europe, Presentation at the 8th European Sociological Association Conference, Glasgow, 5 September.

Karlsen, S. (2007) Racism and ethnic inequalities in health, Health and Housing Seminar organised by the Race Equality Foundation, 17 July.

Karlsen, S. (2007) Relationships between ethnicity, racism, class and inequality, Presentation at the Meeting organised by the Socialist Health Association and Hackney Council, 12 June.

Karlsen, S. (2007) “I felt like I was the same as everyone else but then I was being treated differently”: Recognising the impact of others on ethnic identification, Presentation at the Inclusion and Exclusion: Racism and ethnicity in research, policy and practice Conference organised by the Race Equality Foundation and Social Services Research Group, 29 January.

Karlsen, S. (2006) Factors encouraging a sense of being ‘at home’ among migrant Muslim communities in Europe, Presentation at Cathie Marsh Centre for Census and Survey Research, University of Manchester, 7 December.

Karlsen, S. (2006) The influence of citizenship, institutional trust and racism on feeling ‘at home’ among Muslim groups in Europe, Royal Geographical Society and IBG Annual International Conference, London, 30 August.

Karlsen, S. (2006) Being a Muslim in Europe: attitudes and experiences, Understanding Population Trends and Processes: Inaugural Conference, University of Leeds, 31 March.

Karlsen, S. (2005) Muslims in Europe: perceptions of life in Britain, Germany and Spain, European Sociological Association Conference, Torun Poland, 3 September.