Review of Ali Riaz, Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis: A Leap of Faith

Abstract

Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis opens with descriptions of several public demonstrations, organized by British-Bangladeshis, that occurred in the summer of 2006. These included protests against the film ‘Brick Lane’ (based on the novel by Monica Ali) due to its allegedly unfavorable depictions of BritishBangladeshis. There were also rallies against the visit of Delwar Hossain Saidee, a well-known preacher and leader of the Jamaati-i-Islami party of Bangladesh. He was charged with war crimes in 1971 during the Bangladesh independence struggle. For the author, Ali Riaz, these events symbolize the shifting and multifaceted political culture of this largely understudied community. The Bangladeshi origin community in Britain is a majority Muslim one, estimated (in 2011) to number just under a half million. Along with a demographic profile and overview of British-Bangladeshi history, the book offers several chapters on community dynamics and identity politics. There is much useful information on the Bangladeshi diaspora in Britain compiled here, making it a valuable resource for those who are interested in this topic. A central goal of Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis is to account for the growing significance of Islam as a basis of identity and community among British-Bangladeshis, especially members of the younger generation. This trend, widely noted across Muslim immigrant communities in Europe and North America, has spurred a growing body of scholarship in which the identity dynamics of these communities are explored in relation to larger questions of minority integration and multiculturalism, as well as terrorism and national security. Islam and Identity Politics among British-Bangladeshis contributes to this literature by offering a detailed case-study of a Muslim ethnic community that is grappling with the growing visibility Cont Islam (2015) 9:369–370 DOI 10.1007/s11562-014-0298-7