‘Muslim Consciousness’ as a challenge to the British tradition of multiculturalism: the case of Riz Ahmed Manuela Latchoumaya, European Institute

1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 2. PROBLEM

The British Nationality Act 1948, by The British tradition of multiculturalism creating a Citizenship of the United predominantly developed through the Kingdom and Colonies, resulted in an category of ‘race’. This empirical unexpected amount of non-white development meant that most academic immigration to the UK. As British society research on ethnic minorities ignored was becoming more multicultural, ‘race the ways in which religion was a relations problems’ (Fieschi et al., 2013) powerful factor of identification for started to emerge – as exemplified by the some minority groups (Meer, 2010). 1958 Notting Hill race riots. British Muslims have thus struggled to Multiculturalism was subsequently chosen incorporate their demands within the as a form of political management. Initial British tradition of multiculturalism. For legislation sought to facilitate the example, Muslim activists could not integration of Afro-Caribbean minorities, refer to Incitement to Racial Hatred and was later on extended to include legislation during the 1989 Rushdie citizens of Indian, Pakistani and Affair, as Muslims are not legally Bangladeshi descent under the term Ahmed, R. (2016) [ONLINE] Available from: considered as an ethno-religious group. https://www.instagram.com/p/BKXwo4aA58q/ [Accessed ‘Asian’. 30.12.2019].

3. THEORY: ‘MUSLIM CONSCIOUSNESS’, MEER (2010)

• Lack of recognition or misrecognition from mainstream society à Historically ascribed identities à Consciousness that exist in themselves : 1) Impaired Muslim Consciousness 2) Reactive Muslim Consciousness

• Minorities’ resistance and activism à Consciousness that exist for themselves: 3) Pragmatic Muslim Consciousness 4) Synthesised Muslim Consciousness

4. METHODOLOGY 5. FINDINGS 6. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS

This study used a range of materials A ‘Muslim Consciousness’ has developed in Multiculturalism was initially adopted produced by Riz Ahmed, namely conjunction with cyclical factors such as the rise of to facilitate the integration of ethnic song lyrics, a speech on diversity Islamophobia following the 9/11 attacks. Many minorities. However, British Muslims and representation delivered at the British Muslims started to identify as Muslims – who are usually subject to a double House of Commons in 2017, as well because they were labelled as such by mainstream form of discrimination linked to their as an essay on airports and auditions society. As Riz Ahmed himself puts it, ‘[t]he fluidity religion and ethnicity - have mobilised published in The Good Immigrant of [his] own personal identity (…) was further themselves to include faith within the (Ahmed, 2016 in Shukla, 2016). This compounded by the changing labels assigned to British tradition of multiculturalism. variety of sources was useful in Asians in general.’ (Ahmed, 2016, p.114). However, Riz Ahmed’s embodiment of a understanding the political context this does not mean that British Muslims are passive synthesised form of Muslim in which a ‘Muslim Consciousness’ subjects. Riz Ahmed’s work challenges dominant Consciousness demonstrates that has developed, its nature, and the understandings of British multiculturalism, as it British Muslims are active subjects in way in which it manifests itself in Riz actively denounces Islamophobia, a form of challenging dominant understandings Ahmed’s work. discrimination that is often neglected by British of British multiculturalism that have legislation (Meer, 2010). traditionally excluded Muslims.

Ahmed, R. (2016) [ONLINE] Available from: Lozano, K. (2016) [ONLINE] Available from: Ahmed, R. (2018) [ONLINE] Available from: Ahmed, R. (2016) [ONLINE] Available from: https://www.instagram.com/p/BElqrg- https://pitchfork.com/news/68639-swet-shop-boys- https://www.instagram.com/p/BfwYrkPh0ZE/ https://twitter.com/rizmc/status/75001850241 MaHB/[Accessed 30.12.2019]. heems-riz-mc-share-political-new-video-for-t5- [Accessed 30.12.2019]. 3656065/photo/1 [Accessed 30.12.2019]. watch/ [Accessed 30.12.2019]. 7. REFERENCES • Ahmed, R. (2016) ‘Airports and Auditions’ In: Shukla, N. ed (2016), The Good Immigrant, London: Unbound, 114-118. • Fieschi, C. And Johnson, N. (2013) Islam and Muslim Communities in the UK: Multiculturalism, Faith and Security, The International Spectator, 48 (1), pp. 86-101. • Meer, N. (2010) Citizenship, Identity, and the Politics of Multiculturalism, Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.