‘Muslim Brothers, Black Lads, Traditional Asians’: British Muslim Young Men’s Constructions of Race, Religion and Masculinity

Abstract

Despite the growth of academic interest in masculinity, issues around black masculinity remain largely undertheorized. British Muslim men are noticeably absent in the literature, despite their increasing representation in public discourses as fundamentalist, ‘ultimate Others’ (Phoenix, 1997). This article uses a critical feminist approach to explore young Muslim men’s construction of racialized, gendered identities. Discussion groups were conducted with 24 young British Muslims, aged 14-15 years. Half of the groups were conducted by the white, British, female author, and the other half by a British-Pakistani female researcher. Particular attention is given to the young men’s use of discourses of hegemonic masculinity in their negotiations between ‘Muslim’, ‘black’ and ‘Asian’ masculinities. Issues are also raised with regard to the role of the researcher(s) and the interaction of ‘race’ and gender between interviewers and participants in the production of research.