ABSTRACT
Are mosques insular? Do they encourage living ‘parallel lives’ and breed dis-affection with Britain and the mainstream political process? Media portrayals have depicted some mosques as fostering traditionalism, radicalisation, and cultural divides between British Muslims and others. But is this picture of mosques in Britain representative? When discussing radical Islam, integration and the role of mosques, politicians are often careful to emphasise that most Muslims in Britain are peace-loving and loyal Britons. Evidence regarding public distrust of Muslims (Field 2007) by non-Muslims, however, suggests that these caveats are empty in effect. With the belief that Islam constitutes a threat to British values so widespread, the possibility that mosques may play an important role in the integration of Muslims into British society and politics may appear counterintuitive.
