Muslim Active Citizenship in the West

"Muslim Active Citizenship in the West investigates the emergence and nature of Muslims' struggle for recognition as full members of society in Australia, Great Britain and Germany. What actions have been taken by Muslims to achieve equal civic standing?How do socio-political and socio-economic factors impact on these processes? And how do Muslims negotiate their place in a society that is often regarded as sceptical - if not hostile - towards Muslims' desire to belong? This book sheds new light on Muslims' path towards citizenship in Australia, Great Britain and Germany. Existing research and statistics on Muslims' socio-economic status, community formation, claim-making and political responses, and the public portrayal of Islam are systematically examined. These insights are tested 'through the eyes of Muslims', based on in-depth interviews with Muslim community leaders and other experts in all three countries. The findings offer unique perspectives on Muslim resilience to be recognised as equal citizens of Islamic faith in very different socio-political national settings. Pursuing an interdisciplinary and comparative approach, this book examines the country-specific interplay of historical, institutional, political, and identity dimensions of Muslims' active citizenship and will be invaluable for students and researchers with an interest in Sociology, Religious Studies and Political Science"--

Mario Peucker is a researcher at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. He has conducted research projects in Europe and Australia on marginalisation, citizenship and participation of minorities in the West and acted as a consultant on non-discrimination and anti-racism for national and international agencies.

Shahram Akbarzadeh is ARC Future Fellow and Professor of Middle East and Central Asian Politics at the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne. His research focuses on Islamic radicalism and Muslim identity. He is published extensively and is a regular contributor to the public debate on Islam and Middle East politics.