Mobilizations Against Islamophobia in a Context of Increased Surveillance and Stigmatization in the United Kingdom

British Muslim communities and individuals are deeply impacted by the domestic war on terror, including increased scrutiny and negative media coverage of ‘Muslim issues’. Relations of trust have been eroded between individuals, organisations and government and anti-muslim hate crimes and discrimination are on the rise. These two trends have the effect of producing a potential vicious circle of separateness : Muslim individuals and communities tend to engage less in public life and collective action, with young Muslims growing up in a climate of being ‘othered’. In this context, how can mobilisations against islamophobia develop and take place? The paper will assess civil society reactions to the problem of discrimination and Islamophobia in the UK and examine whether collective action emerges from Muslim individuals as a reaction to the feeling of discrimination, and if so, why and how. The study of these mobilisations will also focus upon their strategies, goals and repertoires of action as well as on their reception among the target populations and their relationship with both local and national government.