ABSTRACT

In shaping the political landscape of young British Muslims, religion has been a significant factor. The role of religion, the present chapter argues, is vital in providing inspiration and motivation to Muslim political engagement. Not all Muslims are disposed to political orientation (nor necessarily have an interest in politics), yet the majority of young British Muslims engage in political activities motivated primarily by religious interest. This chapter explores why this religiouspolitical culture is relevant for young British Muslims, and why Islam plays a pivotal role in influencing their political outlook, regardless of how, or whether, they practice as Muslims. The chapter highlights that political motivation is influenced by three interplaying factors: religious belief; the concept of the Ummah;1 and group consciousness. For this chapter, the research draws upon qualitative data from my doctoral field-based research which explored identity in the political engagement among young second-generation British Muslims. Political sociology literature argues that religion provides an important

source of social capital and skills that facilitate democratic participation (Putnam, 1993; Putnam and Campbell, 2010; Verba et al., 1995). Faith provides believers with a sense of belonging, concern for the collective well-being of their group, and a sense of moral meaning to the life they lead (Birdwell and Littler, 2012). There are several theories of political motivation,2 defined as the role played by incentives in politically motivating people to engage. People can be motivated by more than one incentive for any given action (for example, an individual may vote for a friend, as well as to fulfil a civic duty) and be motivated differently for each political action they take – individuals may be incentivised to engage in voting and boycotting by different political motivations.