A Sociological Study of Islamic Social Work in Contemporary Britain
Rosalind Warden
School of History, Archaeology and Religion
Cardiff University
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the degree of Doctor of Philosophy
2013
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed increasing interest in the topics of religion and spirituality in social work, including a small body of texts focusing on social work with Muslims. Alongside this, statistical evidence such as the 2001 Census has documented the socioeconomic disadvantage experienced by many Muslims communities in Britain. However, there is a paucity of empirical research exploring grassroots initiatives developed by these communities to address welfare needs. There is also a dearth of research analysing the perspectives of Muslim service users. It is this lack of inquiry which this thesis addresses.
This research centres on a case study of an Islamic organisation providing services including Islamic counselling, advocacy, khul divorces, mediation and chaplaincy. The study explores
the construction of the organisation’s Islamic approach to social work, their everyday
practices and areas of particular on-going negotiation. It draws on interviews with individuals working at the organisation, Muslim service users who have accessed the services and also external professionals who have referred individuals to the organisation. An exploration of the potential benefits for Muslim service users focuses on the counselling services provided to young women and asylum seekers in particular. The findings of the study highlight the opportunities and challenges experienced in the process of professionalising internal forms of support amongst British Muslim communities.
This research has implications for three key areas of academic debate. Firstly, it contributes to the sociological study of religion, specifically to the field of British Muslim studies. Secondly, the thesis informs current discussion within the social work discipline, particularly regarding the role of spirituality when working with minority service users. Thirdly, this study contributes to contemporary debate regarding the role of faith groups providing welfare services. Overall, this research gives an original insight into the development of professional Islamic social work in contemporary Britain.
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Declaration
This work has not been submitted in substance for any other degree or award at this or any other university or place of learning, nor is being submitted concurrently in candidature for any degree or other award.
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This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of ………………………… (insert MCh, MD, MPhil, PhD etc, as appropriate)
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This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated.
Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. The views expressed are my own.
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Acknowledgements
I would like to begin by thanking Mr Yousef Jameel. Without his generous provision of a Jameel Scholarship it would not have been possibly to conduct this research. I am very grateful for the amazing opportunity he has provided me to carry out this study. I would also like to thank Christian Hoffmann, the Jameel Scholarship Program Manager, and Sarah Price, the Deputy Director of Development and Head of Alumni Relations at Cardiff University, for their support in receiving this scholarship.
My sincere thanks go to all of the participants who took part in this research, especially the staff members at the Islamic Welfare Organisation in Bridston. I am humbled by the kindness you have shown me and would like to thank you all for your assistance.
It has been a privilege to be supervised by Dr Sophie Gilliat-Ray and Professor Jonathan Scourfield during the last three years. I am extremely thankful for their commitment to the research and their continual support during the course of the study.
I’d also like to thank the staff members and postgraduate students at the Centre for the Study
of Islam at the UK at Cardiff University who have provided encouragement, especially Dr Saira Malik and Mark Bryant. Thanks are also given for the assistance I have received from other staff members and postgraduate students in the School of History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff University. In addition, I am also grateful for the support given to me by the Muslim Council of Wales during my studies.
I have benefitted enormously from the opportunity to attend events, training courses and present at conferences organised by the Muslims in Britain Research Network, the Islamic Studies Network and the Religion & Society programme. I would like to thank them all for these opportunities.
To my family and friends, thank you all for the huge support you have given me, especially Mum, Dad, Adam, Nick, Mike and Glynis.
Finally, I would like to dedicate this thesis to S. & A. Douglas and K. & D. Warden.
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Contents
Abstract.......................................................................................................................................i Declaration.................................................................................................................................ii Acknowledgements.................................................................................................................. iii Contents ....................................................................................................................................iv List of Figures........................................................................................................................ viii List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ix Chapter 1: Introduction ..........................................................................................................1
A Note on Terminology .........................................................................................................2 Outline of Thesis Contents.....................................................................................................3
Chapter 2: The Welfare of Muslims in Britain.....................................................................5
Introduction............................................................................................................................5 Welfare Concerns of First Generation Migrants....................................................................6 Emerging Community Infrastructure .....................................................................................9 Contemporary Welfare Concerns.........................................................................................13 The Salience of Religious Identity.......................................................................................18 Conclusion............................................................................................................................20
Chapter 3: Social Work, Religion and Spirituality.............................................................22
Introduction..........................................................................................................................22 Ethnicity and Race in Social Work ......................................................................................23 Religion and Spirituality in Social Work.............................................................................26 Islam and Social Work.........................................................................................................35 Conclusion............................................................................................................................44
Chapter 4: Methodology........................................................................................................45
Introduction..........................................................................................................................45 Research Questions ..............................................................................................................45 Ontological and Epistemological Position...........................................................................46
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Use of Key Terms ................................................................................................................48 Multi-Method Case Study Approach ...................................................................................53 The Fieldwork Process.........................................................................................................61 Ethical Issues........................................................................................................................65 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................................68 The Findings Chapters .........................................................................................................69
Chapter 5: The Theoretical Construction of the Islamic Social Work Discourse ...........74
Introduction..........................................................................................................................74 The Islamic Welfare Organisation .......................................................................................75 The Role of Charisma ..........................................................................................................81 The Islamic Model ...............................................................................................................85 Spirituality............................................................................................................................97 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................103
Chapter 6: Manifesting the Islamic Social Work Discourse in Everyday Practices......105
Introduction........................................................................................................................105 An Islamic Environment ....................................................................................................105 Service User Assessments..................................................................................................111 Key Services.......................................................................................................................116 Volunteering Practices .......................................................................................................126 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................134
Chapter 7: Contesting the Islamic Social Work Discourse..............................................136
Introduction........................................................................................................................136 Jinn Possession, Spiritual Illness and Ruqyah Healing......................................................136 Authority and Inclusivity ...................................................................................................146 Name Changes....................................................................................................................156 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................159
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Chapter 8: The Significance of the IWO’s Islamic Approach to Social Work for Service
Users......................................................................................................................................161
Introduction........................................................................................................................161 Service User Statistics........................................................................................................162 Counselling.........................................................................................................................168 Other Services ....................................................................................................................184 Conclusion..........................................................................................................................189
Chapter 9: Conclusion.........................................................................................................192 Glossary .................................................................................................................................200 Bibliography ..........................................................................................................................209 Appendices.............................................................................................................................238
Appendix 1: Interview Schedule of 35 Interviewees .........................................................238 Appendix 2: Letter sent to the Director in June 2010 ........................................................240 Appendix 3: Interview Questions for IWO Staff Members ...............................................241 Appendix 4: Interview Questions for IWO Referring Agencies........................................243 Appendix 5: Interview Questions for IWO Volunteers .....................................................244 Appendix 6: Interview Questions for IWO Service Users.................................................246 Appendix 7: Participant Information Sheet for Participant Observation of IWO Staff and Volunteers ..........................................................................................................................248
Appendix 8: Opt-out Form for Participant Observation of IWO Staff and Volunteers.....250 Appendix 9: Participant Information Sheet for Participant Observation of IWO Service Users at Support Groups ....................................................................................................251
Appendix 10: Opt-out Form for Participant Observation of IWO Service Users attending Support Groups ..................................................................................................................253
Appendix 11: Information Sheet for IWO Staff Member Interviews ................................254 Appendix 12: Consent Form for IWO Staff Member Interviews ......................................256 Appendix 13: Information Sheet for IWO Referring Agency Interviews..........................257 Appendix 14: Consent Form for IWO Referring Agency Interviews................................259
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Appendix 15: Information Sheet for IWO Volunteer Interviews ......................................260 Appendix 16: Consent Form for IWO Volunteer Interviews.............................................262 Appendix 17: Information Sheet for IWO Service User Interviews..................................263 Appendix 18: Consent Form for IWO Service User Interviews ........................................265 Appendix 19: Covering Letter sent with Service User Satisfaction Survey ......................266 Appendix 20: Service User Satisfaction Survey ................................................................267 Appendix 21: Extra Letter sent to 30 Tranquility Project Service Users Inviting them to be Interviewed.........................................................................................................................269
Appendix 22: Information on Sampling, Response Rates and Findings from Service User Satisfaction Survey.............................................................................................................270
Appendix 23: Process of Editing the Tranquility Project Database...................................278 Appendix 24: Frequencies, Cross-Tabulations and Chi-Square Tests on Tranquility Project Database Analysis ..............................................................................................................284
Appendix 25: NVivo Thematic Coding Nodes..................................................................306
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List of Figures
Fig 3.1: ‘Islamic Social Work Practice Model’ (Barise, 2005, p.127) ……………………....38
Appendix Fig 22.1: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 3…………………………273 Appendix Fig 22.2: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 5…………………………275 Appendix Fig 22.3: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 6………………………...276
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List of Tables
Table 8.1: Percentage of service users accessing each service offered by the Tranquility
Project…………………………………………………………………………………….....165
Table 8.2: ‘Which of the following do you think it is important for an Islamic welfare service
to provide?’…………………………………………………………………………………167 Table 8.3: ‘What, if anything, did you find helpful about the IWO?’………………………167
Appendix Table 1.1: Schedule of 35 Interviewees………………………………………….238 Appendix Table 22.1: Gender of Satisfaction Survey Respondents………………………..270 Appendix Table 22.2: Age of Satisfaction Survey Respondents…………………………...271 Appendix Table 22.3: Service Accessed by Satisfaction Survey Respondents…………….271 Appendix Table 22.4: Ethnicity of Satisfaction Survey Respondents……………………...272 Appendix Table 22.5: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 3………………………273 Appendix Table 22.6: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 4………………………274 Appendix Table 22.7: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 5………………………275 Appendix Table 22.8: Responses to Satisfaction Survey Question 6………………………276 Appendix Table 24.1: Age of Service Users………………………………………………..284 Appendix Table 24.2: Ethnicity of Service Users…………………………………………..284 Appendix Table 24.3: Religion of Service Users…………………………………………...285 Appendix Table 24.4: Reasons for Referral………………………………………………...285 Appendix Table 24.5: Sources of Referral………………………………………………….285 Appendix Table 24.6: English Language Fluency of Service Users………………………..286 Appendix Table 24.7: Community Language Fluency of Service Users…………………...286 Appendix Table 24.8: Services Received…………………………………………………...286 Appendix Table 24.9: Cross-Tabulation of Ethnicity & Source of Referral………………..288 Appendix Table 24.10: Chi-Square Test for Ethnicity & Source of Referral………………289 Appendix Table 24.11: Cross-Tabulation of Age & Reason for Referral ………………….290 Appendix Table 24.12: Chi-Square Test for Age & Reason for Referral…………………..291 Appendix Table 24.13: Cross Tabulation for Age & Source of Referral…………………...292 Appendix Table 24.14: Chi-Square Test for Age & Source of Referral……………………293 Appendix Table 24.15: Cross-Tabulation of Reason for Referral & Source of Referral…...294 Appendix Table 24.16: Chi-Square Test for Reason for Referral & Source of Referral…...295