Full Description
This title offers an insight into key contemporary global issues relating to the lives and experiences of young Muslims. Many Muslim societies, regardless of location, are displaying a 'youth bulge', where more than half their populations are under the age of 25. An increasingly globalized western culture is rapidly eroding 'traditional' ideas about society, from the family to the state. At the same time, there is a view that rampant materialism is creating a culture of spiritual emptiness in which demoralization and pessimism easily find root. For young Muslims these challenges may be compounded by a growing sense of alienation as they face competing ideologies and divergent lifestyles. Muslim youth are often idealized as the 'future of Islam' or stigmatized as rebelling against their parental values and suffering 'identity crises'. These experiences can produce both positive and negative reactions, from intellectual engagement and increasing spiritual maturity to emotional rejectionism, narrow identity politics and violent extremism.
This book addresses many of the central issues currently facing young Muslims in both localized and globalized contexts through engaging with the work of academics, youth work practitioners and those working in non-governmental organizations and civic institutions.
Contents
Foreword; 1. Introduction Amas S Al-Shaikh-Ali & Rob Warner; Part I: Muslim Youth: Negotiating Local and Global Contexts; 2. The Phenomenon of 'Dual Nihilism' among the British Muslim Youth of Bradford Saeed A. Khan; 3. From Heaven to Halifax: Young British Muslims Fulfilling their Primordial Covenant in a Tumultuous World Mohammed Imran; 4. Why is Hizb-ut Tahrir Influential in Britain and Uzbekistan But Not in Turkey and Egypt? Ihsan Yilmaz; Part II: Identity and Belonging; 5. Muslim Immigrant Youth: A Balancing Act M. Taqi Tirmazi, Altaf Husain, Tasanee R. Walsh & Fariyal Ross-Sheriff; 6. 'Belonging to the Nation': A Perspective from the Pamir, Tajiskistan Laila Kadiwal; 7. Religion, Language or Ethnicity? Hybridised Youth Identity among the Afghan Ismaili Community in Germany Yahia Baiza; Part III: Education and New Media; 8. Muslim Youth at University: A Critical Examination of the British Higher Education System Seyfeddin Kara; 9. Crossing Borders in Cyberspace: Young Moroccans and the Internet Ines Braune; 10. 'Baby' al-Bana: A Case Study of Islamic 'Teen Literature' in Indonesia Magfirah Dahlan-Taylor; Part IV: Methodologies of Engaging; 11. Youth Work and Islam: A Growing Tradition? Brian Belton; 12. Training Muslim Youths to be Khateebs Arif Fitzsimon; 13. Muslim Youth and Citizenship Education: Idealism, Islam and Prospects for Successful Citizenship Education Nader Al-Refai & Christopher Bagley; 14. Scriptural Diplomacy in Muslim Youth Work Usra Ghazi; Websites, Addresses and Contacts of Prominent Agencies, Institutions and Organisations Dedicated to Muslim Youth Work; Bibliography; Index.
