8,131 research outputs found
Muslim discourses on integration and schooling
No full textSince 2001 Muslim communities in Britain have largely been governed through the educational policy framing of integration and segregation. This Manichean bio-construct sees mono-cultural ethnic schools as problematic spaces, whilst integrated schools as the liberal ideal. By drawing upon the subaltern studies approach, this study provides a space for Muslim pupils and parents to articulate their own discourses on integrated and segregated schools in Britain. In doing so, it allows Muslim communities a position of power, by giving them agency to construct their own narratives on the policy debate on integration and schooling.
This thesis attempts to make sense of Muslim discourses through a theoretic interpretation drawn from Muslim intellectual history. By using Ibn Khaldun’s (d. 1406) sociological theory of ‘asabiyya this study provides a broader theoretical context to the Muslim voice. The empirical and the theoretical perspectives contained in this study attempts to make significant contributions to the study of race, religion and Muslim studies in Britain.
Public policy discourses has often seen the concept of integration as a linear cultural process, with minority groups gradually adopting the social mores of the host society. Evidence presented in this study sees integration as an analytical process and not as a fixed cultural template. It shows how the concept of integration can often be used, by political actors, as a tool for anti-Muslim racism.
The discourses of Muslim parents and pupils have much in common with each other, especially when rejecting the idea of self-segregation, or highlighting the importance of ‘asabiyya based on religion, but they have little in common with the public policy framing of Muslim communities.
Sociological studies have often demonstrated the disjuncture between public policy and lived experience. This study confirms this observation by elucidating the disconnect between political discourse of integration and lived cultural experience of Muslim communities. The discourses of Muslim communities in this study suggest a complex, paradoxical, intersectional reading of integration, which is fundamentally rooted within social constructionism. Most importantly it dismisses the integration and segregation binary, as seen within the educational framing of Muslims, whilst recognising the importance of Muslim group solidarity, or ‘asabiyya in Muslim discourse
Mussafirs of the 21st Century: British South Asian Muslim women, higher education and the changing notions of ‘Britishness’
No full textThe South Asian Muslim community in Britain is one that has become increasingly ‘visible’ with what it means to be ‘British Muslim’ remaining a pertinent issue. Given that the British South Asian community is set to grow, it is necessary to engage with this community in order to understand how discourses around gender, ethnicity and identity affect how this community develops. The aim of this research was to engage with specific members of the British South Asian Muslim community, that of women and mothers. In undertaking this research aspects of identity, belonging and citizenship were explored, with particular emphasis placed on discourses around ‘identity’. Drawing on narratives expressed in focus groups and interviews this research analysed and explored the influences of higher education in shaping attitudes towards citizenship and belonging. Higher education was revealed to have a positive impact on Muslim women’s’ lives, whilst identities and the notions of ‘Britishness’ were increasingly areas of intense negotiation
Managing socio-religious expectations in an intimate space : examining Muslim-interfaith marriage amongst working class communities in Cape Town
No full textThis study investigates how marriage norms are negotiated and constructed in the context of Muslim-interfaith marriage amongst those from primarily working class communities in Cape Town. It also explores the religious identity of individuals and its effect on the marriage. Interfaith marriage has become increasingly prevalent amongst Muslims in South Africa. Moreover, while it is often assumed that Muslims in whatever context follow Islamic law in their everyday lives, social practice often takes precedence. Interfaith marriage as generally "atypical" marriage amongst Muslims provides a particularly informative lens with which to examine Muslim marriage. The findings of this research suggest that interfaith couples construct marriage norms through a balance of religious and social expectations, including their own, rather than a strict following of religious law
Demand and Supply Conditions of Islamic Housing Finance in the United Kingdom: Perceptions of Muslim Clients
Full text linkAn important aspect of Islamic finance in the retail market has been the introduction of mortgage products for housing finance. These are offered by a number of banks in the UK. The aim of this research is to examine the characteristics of the UK market for Islamic mortgages and to analyse the activities of the major institutions involved. Supply and demand conditions are explored.
This study evaluates the development of Islamic housing finance in the United Kingdom by focusing on the following main areas: First, it investigates whether there is any effective demand for Islamic Mortgages in the UK. Second, the study evaluates the perceptions of UK Muslims towards various aspects of Islamic mortgages and provides an empirical assessment of these perceptions. Also, the study analyses how Muslim client attitutes and the overall environment affects preferences for Islamic mortgage products. Third, it investigates the factors which might encourage or discourage home-buying among UK Muslims. Fourth, it investigates the current structures of Islamic mortgages and examines whether these play a role in helping low-income groups from the Muslim community to achieve home ownership. Fifth, it investigates the current practices surrounding Islamic mortgages to identify the obstacles and factors influencing decision making with the aim of suggesting possible remedies. The study also evaluates accessibility issues with the objective of defining effective ways of raising awareness in the Muslim Community. It also discusses the marketing of Islamic mortgages and investigates the importance of product awareness by bank staff. Furthermore, it explores in detail the role of religion, Muslim households’ consumer preferences and the prospects for Islamic banks cross-selling mortgage products to Muslim customers. Finally this study investigates the factors influences clients’ choices of Islamic mortgage providers.
In fulfilling its aims and objectives, this study has utilized both primary and secondary data from the UK. A survey questionnaire was conducted among the Muslim community in London. Non-parametric procedures and tests have been used to analyze the data collected.
The findings of the study demonstrate that there is a gap in home ownership among British Muslims compared to the general public, which is determined by affordability, financial exclusion and information gaps. In addition, this study found that there is substantial potential demand for Islamic mortgages in the UK, which requires effective but also sound marketing strategies. Perception and opinion analysis also indicated that wider social factors and lifestyle choices may be increasing the demand for Islamic mortgages. Moreover, the findings also demonstrate that perceptions of Islamic mortgages are similar between different ethnic and tenure groups. Some Muslim ethnic groups are more willing than others to take on an Islamic mortgage even if it is more expensive than a conventional mortgage.
The study concludes that the prospects of Islamic mortgages in UK are promising and, unlike conventional bank mortgages, they are not financed by borrowing from wholesale markets, but rather from Islamic deposits. Islamic housing finance has proved sustainable, and has not been subject to the problems associated with sub-prime defaults. On the other hand a careful risk appraisal by Islamic institutions providing housing finance has made it more difficult for low-income Muslims or those with less secure employment to obtain Shariah-compliant mortgages
Women in sacred spaces : an analysis of traditional Islam and Judaism in the communities of Cape Town
No full textBibliography: leaves 139-155.The New Constitution protects Muslims and Jews as part of the minority religions in a pluralistic South Africa just like the rights of women are procured in the public and private arenas. Multiplicity usually exacerbates a more interactive relationship between divergent faiths thereby bringing into sharp focus the strained association of local Muslims and Jews considering the escalating violence in Palestine/Israel. This study firstly attempts to examine the status of traditional Muslim and Jewish women autonomously in the sacred spaces of the mosque, synagogue and home to highlight the customary gendered issues in the related spaces. These gendered sacred spaces are managed via ritual activity detennined in traditional law, which is rooted in genderized cosmogonies and myths founded in theology consequently exhibiting the interplay between theology and law. The study also endeavors to analyze the position of traditional Muslim and Jewish women reciprocally in the public and private sacred terrains of Cape Town to underline gendered similarities. These commonalities akin to genderized sacred spaces could serve as a forum for bridging the local Muslim-Jewish divide by stimulating discourse among intellectuals; community organizations negotiating public and private matters; and individual members of the respective religious traditions. Gendered resemblances could additionally amplifY the debate of women's rights in the public and private sacred domains to evoke an equitable understanding of each other (in the binaries of Muslims and Jews as well as men and women)
Women who convert to Islam for the purpose of marriage : compulsion or free will?
Full text linkThesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2008.This study presents the complex situation of non-Muslim (Christian and Hindu
Lifting the Veil: Muslim women's adjustment to a New Zealand university
No full textAbstract
Due to a decline in the number of domestic students in many New Zealand and
other foreign Western countries' universities, there is more recruitment of
international students. In New Zealand universities, beside the increase in the
number of other foreign international students, the number of Muslim
international students and especially Muslim women students has increased in the
past few years. This is due to internationalisation of New Zealand education and
the economic benefits which international students provide to New Zealand
economy.
The reason for undertaking this study is because as a Muslim women and a
student myself, I wanted to investigate the adjustment problems of the increased
number of Muslim women international students at the University of Waikato.
This is because, it would provide information to researchers, theoreticians and
policy developers regarding adjustment issues that might be specific to Muslim
women. Unfortunately, this area is under researched; hence this study could assist
in filling the vacuum in this area.
The literature so far has discussed the adjustment issues of international students
in general and from the literature there seems to be two main dominant areas
where international students suffer adjustment problems. These two areas are the
academic environment of the university and the socio-cultural environment of the
university. The academic environment has many elements to which many
international students are believed to face adjustment problems such as adjusting
to the 'study shock'. On the other hand, in the socio-cultural environment,
students are believed to face adjustment problem to the culture shock. However,
there are many flaws in the existing literature which results in its weakness and
hence the need for this study.
In order to discuss the adjustment issues of Muslim women international students'
one has to examine the educational background of these students. It is important
to also examine the religious and cultural backgrounds of these students because
religious beliefs and practices combined with their cultural background have an
impact on their adjustment into the foreign academic and socio-cultural
iii
environment. Islam strongly encourages the acquisition of education for women.
Looking at the history of Muslim women, one can find great scholars who
achieved enormously from their right to education. However today there is great
tension in the Islamic world regarding women's education which makes this issue
very complex. This is due to the different interpretations of the Islamic scholars of
the verses of the Quran, and Muslim people cultural and tribal codes. Therefore,
many Islamic countries have taken different approaches to the education of their
female population that is from very conservative to liberal ones.
The qualitative approach used in this chapter helped in understanding the
perspectives and world views of the respondents which would have not been
possible otherwise.
The confidentiality and anonymity of the respondents was catered for before
conducting the interviews and pseudo names are used in this study to refer to the
respondents of this study. This study is however limited in that the time constrain
did not allow me to do a longitudinal study in order to discover the many un
answered questions or ambiguous sentences.
This study has revealed four major themes which were identified through this
research as being specifically important to the adjustment of Muslim women
international students. These women did not view their adjustment as a huge shift
instead for them it required more of gentle shift in their adjustment. The
similarities in the academic environment of the international students and that of
New Zealand universities made the adjustment to the academic environment even
smoother. There are also other positive adjustments these international students
make while in New Zealand universities. They are more independent and are able
to communicate in English language which for most international students seems
to be main reason for coming to Western universities.
There is need for the staff and students to understand the religious and cultural
beliefs of these international students so that they can help them in the adjustment
process. There is also increased need for the universities and policy developers to
provide help and support for the international students.
iv
There are many issues that seemed to need further exploration which this study
has not managed to find out. The research needs to be done to discuss the huge
emotional or psychological impact on the international students' due to teachers'
and local students' lack of knowledge of their religious and cultural beliefs.
The researchers also need to investigate how this change in the personality and
thinking of women impacts on them when they go back to their home countries.
In theorisation, there is need to theorise the adjustments of students who belong to
other religious and cultural groups and how it might impact their adjustment
process.
For the practitioners, there is need to investigate the role of the staff and institutes
to clearly identify to the role of staff in how they could make international
students transaction to the university smoother
Deep anisotropic dry etching of silicon microstructures by high-density plasmas
No full textThis thesis deals with the dry etching of deep anisotropic microstructures in monocrystalline silicon by high-density plasmas. High aspect ratio trenches are necessary in the fabrication of sensitive inertial devices such as accellerometers and gyroscopes. The etching of silicon in fluorine-based plasmas is isotropic. To obtain anisotropy the addition of sidewall passivation is necessary. This is achieved with both oxygen passivation at low temperatures and fluorocarbon passivation at room temperature. A quantitative approach was pursued to explain the etching mechanism. The etch results were analysed using the measured plasma species fluxes and the surface composition. Moreover, the transport of the plasma species in narrow anisotropic structures is a fundamental factor determining the etch rate and the profile evolution. The experimental methods such as the etching equipment, plasma diagnostics, surface analysis and sample preparation are described in chapter 2. Three etching processes were investigated: the cryogenic etching process with oxygen passivation at low temperatures, the Bosch process with fluorocarbon passivation at room temperature and the novel triple pulse process that was developed in our laboratory. The polymer deposition mechanism and the characteristic role of the ions are also explained. The cryogenic etching process is discussed in chapter 3. Fluorine radicals, oxygen radicals and ion bombardment are responsible for the three main sub-processes, that is, etching, sidewall passivation and depassivation of the trench bottom, respectively. Etching experiments with an extremely low ion-to-radical flux ratio were used to reveal the etching mechanism. Crystal orientation dependent etching leading to Si(111) crystal facets is observed in a surface kinetics controlled regime. By varying the plasma conditions it is possible to adjust the etching mechanism from fluorine-limited to ion-limited. Controlled etching is obtained because the etching is tuned from aspect ratio dependent in the fluorine-limited domain to aspect ratio independent in the ion-limited domain. The transport of radicals in high aspect ratio trenches is an important limiting factor and was investigated with special structures. The etch results are described by an analytic model that is based on the surface site balance of fluorine and oxygen radicals. The results are further explained with a Monte Carlo simulation model. The Bosch process is clarified in chapter 4. The anisotropy of the etched structures is controlled by balancing the etching and passivation pulse. However, the maximal obtainable aspect ratio is limited by convergence of the trench sidewalls due to excessive passivation. The maximal obtainable aspect ratio increases if the ion-to-radical flux ratio increases. The transport of ions is an important limiting factor in the depassivation of the bottom of the trench. Divergence of the ion beam leads to a reduction of the ion flux, so that the fluorocarbon passivation is insufficiently removed near the base of the sidewalls. The average ion angle was measured and correlated to the maximal obtainable aspect ratio. The Bosch process was improved at the depassivation side with the triple pulse process and at the passivation side with preferential sidewall deposition. The triple pulse process that is described in chapter 5 has the aim to improve the depassivation in deep trenches. The three main sub-processes are decoupled using a separate depassivation pulse directly after the etching and passivation pulses. The fluorocarbon passivation is efficiently removed with low-pressure, high-density, oxygen-based plasmas. The investigated plasma chemistries include O2, CO2 and SO2. The triple pulse process leads to better profile control with a straight trench bottom. However, the maximal obtainable aspect ratio is comparable to the Bosch process because a larger etch depth and a small lateral etch cancel out. The polymer deposition mechanism is treated in chapter 6 with the aim to understand the fluorocarbon passivation in deep trenches. The deposition on plane surfaces and on special structures was investigated to distinguish between the radical-induced and ion-enhanced components. A simple analytical model, which explains the main deposition characteristics, was developed. Preferential sidewall deposition is obtained for higher ion fluxes and higher bias voltages where sputtering plays an important role. In this case no fluorocarbon passivation has to be removed from the bottom of the trench. The trench profile was optimised in the Bosch process by tuning the bias voltage during etching and passivation independently. It resulted in perfectly anisotropic trenches but the maximal obtainable aspect ratio was still limited by a small lateral etch. The characteristic role of the ions in the etching mechanism is explained in chapter 7. Ion-induced etching of both SiC in a SF6-O2 plasma and Si in a Cl2 plasma were investigated. The impact of the ions on the profile evolution can be examined more explicitly because spontaneous chemical reactions are absent for these plasma-material systems. The etching mechanism varies from fluorine-limited to ion-limited depending on the radical-to-ion flux ratio. Microtrenches are observed for an ion-limited etching mechanism. Fluorine-limited SiC etching is aspect ratio dependent in contrast to ion-limited SiC etching, which is aspect ratio independent. The etching of high aspect ratio SiC structures is limited by the positive sidewall taper. This is presumably caused by insufficient removal of the thin fluorocarbon layer on the surface. Si etching in a Cl2 plasma is always aspect ratio independent in contrast to SiC etching because of the low reaction probability. The conclusions and recommendations of this thesis are given in chapter 8.Applied Science
A critical analysis of Christian responses to Islamic claims about the work of the Prophet Muhammad, ‘the Messenger of God’.
Full text linkThe aims of this study are to analyse critically the different Christian responses to the Islamic understanding of the work of Muhammad. Chapter one consists a short introduction leading to an appraisal of Muhammad which incorporates historical, hagiographal and Quranic source material, and in the light of relevant Christian and Muslim scholarship. The second chapter presents a summary critical analysis of Muhammad in Christian theological perspective, from 661 A.D. to modern times. Chapter three presents a critique of Christian responses to the Muslim allegations that the text of the Bible has been infected with corruption; and that Muhammad's advent and status are foretold in the unadulterated' scriptures, and in the Gospel of Barnabas. Chapter four examines the theological significance of the work of Muhammad for Christians. Thus, Jesus and Muhammad are critically assessed and contrasted in order to ascertain the importance, for Christians, of the Muslim claims in respect of Muhammad as ’the messenger of God’. Chapter five provides a critical evaluation of the various Christian responses to Muhammad. It is argued that many of the said responses have been entangled in myths and misperceptions which have severely distorted the true account of Muhammad's work. Consequently, many Christians have failed to appreciate the divine legitimacy of Muhammad's call to prophethood. Further, it is argued that Christians should accept that Muhammad is a genuine prophet, and the messenger of God. However, Muhammad's use of the power-structure in order to maintain Islam is in sharp contrast to Jesus’ decision to face the consequences of his ministry passively through faith in God. Accordingly, orthodox Christian belief in the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus provides another dimension to prophethood, where the messenger and the message become one, an identification which finds no parallel in Islam, and which, in the nature of the case, cannot find a parallel
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