Barriers facing young muslims in accessing mainstream provision in Leicester.

This paper examines barriers young Muslims face in accessing mainstream provision. It is based on research carried out in Leicester, one of Europe’s most diverse cities. The analysis is based on the findings from structured questionnaire responses from 500 young Muslims, six focus groups with 40 young people, one with Muslim parents, eight representatives of statutory organisations and eight representatives of voluntary/madresah Muslim organisations. The article looks beyond the rhetoric of “war on terror” and “threat of Islamic extremism” to the concrete forms of social organisation and their limitations in addressing issues of importance to young Muslims