Muslim - state relations in Great Britain : an evolving story

The concern of this chapter, as that of the book as a whole, is to explore contemporary relationships between Muslim minorities and the state, with a particular focus upon structural and cultural dynamics. In this regard the case of Britain is illustrative. This is because an analysis of political and institutional responses to Muslim ‘difference’ in Britain details a pattern of engagement that has evolved over a period of time. This can be framed in terms of rising agendas of racial equality and multiculturalism to which Muslims have become central – even while they have challenged important aspects of these. This implies that these developments have neither been linear nor unproblematic, and have been characterised by various ongoing contestations and revisions. According to some authors, what this engagement has accomplished presently looks to be in retreat and at best remains uncertain