In Britain today there is a mismatch between how non-Muslims often perceive Muslims and how Muslims typically perceive themselves.
This disconnect is down to a tendency by non-Muslims to assume that Muslims struggle with their British identity and divided loyalties. These concerns were challenged a few days ago,in a report by the University of Essex that found Muslims actually identify with Britishness more than any other Britons.
This study is just one of several recent studies that have consistently found that Muslims in Britain express a stronger sense of belonging in Britain than their compatriots. Consider the following examples:
[A COMMENT] What do you mean "strong sense". Enough to not marry someone "back home" and of a different racial and religious group without pressure to "convert"
Problem is this loyalty to Britain appears to be a Britain of their own creation and not necessarily one others would recognize.
As for fewer white people feeling a strong sense of belonging, could that be the result of decades of Guardian lectures on how rubbish we are and how all the worlds ills started here? [Guardian Cif] Read more
Further Information
The Cif article says: “This study is just one of several recent studies that have consistently found that Muslims in Britain express a stronger sense of belonging in Britain than their compatriots. Consider the following examples:
• 83% of Muslims are proud [1] to be a British citizen, compared to 79% of the general public.
• 77% of Muslims strongly identify [2] with Britain while only 50% of the wider population do.
• 86.4% of Muslims feel they belong [3] in Britain, slightly more than the 85.9% of Christians.
• 82% of Muslims want to live in diverse and mixed neighbourhoods [4] compared to 63% of non-Muslim Britons.
• 90% of Pakistanis feel a strong sense of belonging [5] in Britain compared to 84% of white people.”
The numeric notes have been added by Islam Surveyed and signify as follows:
[1] This is a link to a Daily Mail article on a survey by Demos (2011)
The Demos survey is reviewed here: A Place for Pride (or Not) N.B. The statistic of 83% of Muslims is based on a sample of 48 Muslims!
[2] Daily Telegraph article on Gallup Coexist Study (2009)
The Gallup Coexist Study is reviewed here: The Headlines You Didn’t See
[3] Link to extract from book/report “Muslims in Britain” (2008)
Anyone who thinks there is a statistical difference between 86.4% and 85.9% doesn’t know what he is talking about!
[4] Euro-Islam.info website article on Gallup Coexist Study (2009)
See [2]
[5] Daily Telegraph article on a “Government study” (2008)
There is no link to the referenced study.
