Immigration and Western Muslims’ Identity

Abstract

This chapter examines the processes by which Muslim migration to the West has occurred since the latter half of the twentieth century and discusses the issue of Muslim identity as new migrants belonging to a minority religious group. In this context, it explores the question of identity change from the majority to minority context. This chapter highlights the role of scriptural hermeneutics and gender considerations, especially representations of Muslim women in the West, in understanding the dynamics behind Western Muslims’ identity construction. It considers the experiences of immigrant Muslim communities, which are neither the first nor the only minority religious group to have established a new home in the West, and discusses the many parallels between the experiences and identity dynamics.