INDEPENDENCE campaigning has empowered some young Muslims to take part in politics – but Islamophobia keeps others from participating, a report has found.
In a specialist study revealed yesterday, Scots Muslims aged 15-28 told researchers the 2014 campaign encouraged them to get involved in politics.
Many said the Yes drive has “redefined nationalism” and created a “really inclusive” movement. However, many said religious prejudice and racism prevent them engaging too visibly.
This includes experience of everyday discrimination, negative representations of their community in the media and the UK Government’s highly criticised Prevent programme.
The strategy aims to tackle radicalisation, but has met with fierce opposition from critics who claim it is divisive, ineffective and misjudged.
Volunteers told the team they feared being seen to be “overly-politicised”.
The report found young Muslims feel a “general suspicion” of them in the UK has created a “difficult climate” in which to express political opinion for fear of being misconstrued, while women said the reinforcement of gender stereotypes was holding them back.
Children and Young People’s Commissioner Scotland, Tam Baillie, said: “Young people in Scotland have proven to be fully engaged when they are included in political processes such as elections and the Scottish referendum.
“It is encouraging that young Muslims want to play a more active role in Scottish political life, as politics should represent all young people, not just the few.
“I am heartened that despite the challenges, there are consistently hopeful messages in this report about the valuable contribution made by Muslim young people through political engagement.
“We need recognise the barriers of Islamophobia and tackle it head on to create an equal and vibrant political environment that is inclusive of all Scotland’s young people.”
Written by Newcastle and St Andrews universities, the paper interviewed young men and women, mostly from the Glasgow area, on their engagement in local, national and international politics. Most were actively involved “to some degree”, including through charity work and social activism.
Those interviewed highlighted “distinctive aspects” of Scottish politics as issues of particular interest, including the Yes campaign.
Edinburgh-based Aiza, in her 20s, told researchers: “Nationalism has generally been exclusive of people but I think Scottish nationalism, we have kind of redefined nationalism, and that is why I feel kind of proud of the movement. It has been really inclusive. It’s not about the colour of your skin, and it’s not about where you come from, it’s about what you want for Scotland.”
Raza, from Glasgow, told how his whole family had been active in the run-up to the 2014 vote, saying: “We were campaigning, we were going door to door and everything. Even my parents, everyone was involved.”
Those who backed the Union were motivated by doubts about economy and security, with Glasgow youth Derrick stating: “I am proud to be British. In pretty much every way we are better together, to use the slogan.”
On barriers to participation, one interviewee said vocal young Muslims “are going to be blamed for something”.
Meanwhile, teenager Anna said becoming a public figure like Tasmina Ahmed-Sheikh MP or Transport Secretary Humza Yousaf could attract “a lot of hate”, adding: “I feel like I can’t voice me opinion. I am too scared of the reaction I am going to get.”
When discussing Prevent, Azam from Glasgow said it had created a “toxic climate of fear, one where you can’t say certain things because they might be labelled as extremist”.
Another young person from the city, named Duz, told the team of her frustrations, saying: “We just want to show we are normal people like the rest.
“We just want to have a family and a job, that is it. We don’t want to go bomb a place. We know that is not what our religion teaches us.”
The report was prepared as part of the Freedom City 2017 programme, which marks the 50th year since Dr Martin Luther King Jr was given an honorary degree at Newcastle University and explores racism, poverty and war.
The findings are published in the Annals of the American Association of Geographers.
Dr Robin Finlay, of Newcastle University, said: “Many young Muslims in Scotland perceive Scottish nationalism as a more inclusive and civic form of nationalism, as opposed to the type of nationalist movements we’re seeing across Europe which are partly based on a divisive rejection of multiculturalism.
“Scottish nationalism is something that many young Muslims feel they can support as an ethnic minority as it offers a way to engage in mainstream politics.”
Colleague Peter Hopkins said: “Islamophobia and negative representation in the media is damaging their confidence to play a much more visible role in society.
“Political leaders should take the participation of young Muslims seriously as they are a politically engaged and interested group, whose resources could be drawn upon for the better of Scottish society.”
Previous research has shown how Sikhs, South Asians, Eastern Europeans and black young people aged between 12 and 25 in Scotland have been abused or victimised for ‘being Muslim’.
Hopkins said that proves “the breadth of the problem and just how scapegoated Muslims have become in our society”.
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