How do Muslim men in the UK talk about their experiences of discrimination?

Objectives: Intense global scrutiny of Muslims, and rapid socio-political changes have dominated since the events of 9/11, which is flagged as the defining moment where Muslim identity was thrown into question. The purpose of this research was to uncover the way in which Muslim men in the UK talk about their experiences of discrimination. More specifically, the study aimed to explore the discourses that Muslim men draw on when talking about their experiences of discrimination. Design: The research was primarily interested in exploring and understanding the construction of experience by a specific population (Muslim men in the UK) in relation to a specific concept (discrimination). Therefore, a discourse analytic methodology was used to identify relevant discourses and to trace the patterns and consequences of their usage in Muslim men’s accounts of discrimination. Methods: Snowball sampling led to the inclusion of six British Muslim males aged between 26 and 36 who engaged in (approx) one-hour semi-structured interviews that were analysed using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis (FDA). Results: Six discursive themes were identified which contributed to constructing Muslim men as a suspects, outsiders and potential terrorists. Positioned within these discourses, the participants discursively constructed their identity in relation to a pervasive climate of anti-Muslim discourse. Conclusions: Discrimination was the context within which the participants did the identity-related discursive work. These insights can inform clinicians who work with Muslim males. Furthermore, policy makers may consult with the findings when thinking about obstacles to integration