ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the complex and shifting identity formations in the case of Muslims, in the backdrop of perceived socio-eco-political marginalization, and debates how these factors interact to shape their expectations of education. Unprecedented international mobility over the last few decades, triggered by myriad factors, has influenced educational sites across the world in terms of population demographics, learners needs and expectations, policy discourses and repertoires of practice, bringing the challenges of diversity and associated complexities to centre stage. The educational achievement or underachievement of minority ethnic students has been a cause of concern for researchers, educational leaders and successive governments in the UK. Racism is a pervasive phenomenon in mainstream schools that is recognized as one of the key causes of low achievement among ethnic minorities. Muslimness is emerging as a complex phenomenon with urgent relevance for those who wish to understand the new social diversity of many urban communities and to improve the quality of education in multi-ethnic schools.
