Islam, Politics & Britain: A Case Study of London's East End

This course examines how diversity shapes and defines our understanding of modern Britain through a specific focus on Muslim communities in London and the nature of their interactions with wider society. This includes analyses of the ways in which imperialism and its legacy, as well as Britain's global relationships, have influenced political policies and social attitudes toward multiculturalism and Muslim groups in particular. Emphasis is placed on an analysis of intercultural relations and how they have shaped the political landscape, ideas about the meaning of Britishness, and citizenship debates. Main themes include: the politics of immigration and race relations; varieties of experience among ethnic groups; gender, religion and politics; Islamic artistic and cultural forms; representations of Muslim communities within British culture and the media; the construction and expression of ethnic identities; violence and racial oppression; and the rise and consequences of Islamic fundamentalism.