Muslim women negotiating secularism

What is it about?

Seen But Not Heard: Capturing the Voices of Muslim Women in Britain_x000D_ _x000D_ There is much more to Muslim women than 'veil and victimhood'. Most of us have heard of the submissive Muslim wife, the jihadi bride and the oppressed Muslim girl; while much has been written and said about Muslim women in secular societies, most of what we read and hear plays into sensationalist caricatures and takes little account of the actual lives of 'ordinary' people on the ground. _x000D_ _x000D_ Academic research is now filling a gap in studies of gender and minority issues; this article highlights methodological problems in the study of Muslims generally, and showcases the first hand experiences of a sample of Muslim women living and working in and around London. _x000D_ Asking questions around how they navigate public life as women of religion in a secular society, this research points to some interesting and previously unreported findings that give hope for the future of multicultural societies tackling increasing populism and division along racial, ethnic and religious lines._x000D_ Hear from the mouths of the women themselves, and confront head on tricky methodological issues in the study of minorities. This article benefits from the reflections and insights of 'inside' research on a rarely-heard group of women. The author, herself a Muslim woman negotiating personal faith and secular public spheres, has worked with 25 women to document unheard concerns and aspirations.

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Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash

Photo by Viktor Forgacs on Unsplash