Impact of Islam on multiculturalism and diversity

The purpose of this report is to evaluate the ways by which Islam provides a framework for multiculturalism and diversity. The report will also include evaluation of the theories and practices associated with the framework.

Running head: SOCIOLOGY
Sociology
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Table of Contents
Abstract............................................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................2
Discussion........................................................................................................................................3
Section 1:.....................................................................................................................................3
Section 2:.....................................................................................................................................5
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
Reference List..................................................................................................................................7

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Title: Impact of Islam on multiculturalism and diversity
Abstract
The purpose of this report is to evaluate the ways by which Islam provides a framework for
multiculturalism and diversity. The report will also include evaluation of the theories and
practices associated with the framework. Two of the major multiculturalism theories namely the
World-system theory as well as the Huntington theory will be used to support the discussion. In
the second part of the report, a short reflection will be provided that will emphasize on the lesson
learned and the challenges faced while researching for the topic.

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Introduction
In sociology, the term multiculturalism is viewed as the cultural differences that need to
be respected as well as encouraged. For prolonged period of time, cultural diversity has been
presented in the societies. When it comes to the ancient Greece, there present a good number of
small regions with varied traditions, costumes, dialects a well as identities. Some of the major
examples of that includes Aetolia, Locris, Doris and Epirus. Muslims were considered to be the
majority in the Ottoman Empire. However individuals from other religions like Jews, pegan
Arabs, Christians and other religious groups were also present at that time. Contemporary
political theorists have labeled this phenomenon of the coexistence of different cultures in the
same geographical space multiculturalism. In this report, a detailed analysis of the method by
which Islam has provided a framework for diversity and multiculturalism will be performed.
Along with this, a short reflection behind selecting the mentioned topic will also be provided in
this report.
Discussion
Section 1:
Does Islam provide a framework for multiculturalism and diversity, and in what ways this
framework be understand in theory and practice?
The relationship between Islam and multiculturalism is a highly crucial aspect when it
comes to the modern doctrine of multiculturalism. From time immemorial, a good number of
debates have surrounded the issues associated with Islam and multiculturalism. According to a

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good number of researchers, a developing distance from multiculturalism and acceptance
towards the same can be evidenced in Europe, especially in Denmark, UK, Norway, Germany
and Austria (Yaqin, Morey & Soliman, 2018). The belief behind this backlash on
multiculturalism is that it produces friction within the Muslim society. Incompatibility with
secular society has been influenced by a stance against multiculturalism advocated by recent
philosophers, closely linked to the heritage of New Philosophers. Another debate that has taken
place on the topic of Muslim and multiculturalism is the introduction of sharia in western
countries. For instance, in Canada, one of the contentious issues includes introduction of sharia
family courts inn the nation. UK and London are fund to be segregated more on the basic of
religion rather than race. According to a recent survey, more than 25 percent residents of London
reside in religiously segregated neighbors. According to Clennon, (2016), one of the major fail of
multicultural theories is evident through the constant suspicion towards the Muslims. According
to a survey, 18 percent of the non-Muslim residents believe that Muslims residing in Britain feel
no sense of loyalty in the nation and are prepared to commit the act of terrorism.
According to researchers, multiculturalism ideology, that is the blind tolerance of any
tradition is devastating Europe while standing in the way of positive development of the Islam
religion (McGhee & Zhang, 2017). One of the examples of such ideology includes the threats
that has been faced by Ayaan Hirsi ali, who is a Somali intellectual and have stand for defending
women’s rights. The individual have received a good number of life threats. She has accused the
government of Holand for excessive acquaintance of encouraging the immobility of the Muslim
communities. When it comes to making room for sharia, there prevails a risk of conflict within
the European constitution. Even a country like Denmark, which is popular for its multicultural

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acceptance, it has been proposed by the SAID party that anyone who cites Koranic verses
contrary to the Danish constitution must be punished (Elrifai, 2016).
Westrop, (2016) has tried to analyze the framework of Islam and multiculturalism with
the help of the World-system theory. The world-system theory does not include a simple,
monolithic explanation of the global history as well as society. As being defined by Wallenstein,
it includes complex cluster of approaches for understand the wide range of experiences. The
mentioned theory points out the difference between the modern as well as the pre modern world
systems which appeal both for its clarity as well as for the history of the major world civilization.
According to Yu & Yu, (2017), when it comes to framework for multiculturalism and
diversity in Islam, the tariqah organization plays a major role. In the 12th century, the tariqah
organizations started to take shape. In the context of the political disintegration of the Muslim
world, the tariqahs are found to assume enhance importance for being the mediator of
interregional unity and social cohesion. The sufi movement was completely based on the
mentioned appeal and its new structure of religions unity was built on the well known
foundation. While a good number of tariqahs possessed local significance, the greatest orders
expands over a large part of the Islamic territory. Discipline as well as teachers journeyed from
end to end within the Muslim world, bearing the seeds of interchange and cross-fertilization
within the Sufi framework.
The political relationship between west and Islam is explained with the help of
Huntingtonian clash of civilization theory. The islamphobic attitudes have not only pervaded the
mass media but also the political life of Europe. The aftermath of September 11th has been
marked by an enhancement of special laws that targets to prevent terrorist acts from the muslim

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extrimists. Inspite of the fact that a good number of European politicians are seen to be keen to
argue that all these laws are not against the Muslim region but against terrorism, the actions and
the language used led the Muslims of Eorpoe to have an opposite impression.
A good number of weak points of the mentioned theory has also been noticed when the same
have been implemented practically. For instance, the mentioned theory possesses a broad as well
as confusing definition associated with civilization. Haynes, (2017), has negatively commented
on the attempt of Huntington to assimilate American and European cultures into a single model.
The recent tensions between France and the United States about the 2003 Gulf War may show
that Pippidi and Minreuda’s critique was certainly well-founded. However, majority of the
researchers priotorizes the mentioned theory based on its social as well as political effects (Zee,
2015).
Section 2:
Short reflection
The topic that has been chosen by me is the various ways by which Islam provide a
framework for multiculturalism as well as diversity. My irresistible interest behind the theories
of multiculturalism associated with the Islamic religion has led me to select the topic out of the
four topics provided. Being residents of UK, from childhood, I have evidenced several acts that
demonstrate lack of multicultural attitudes towards the Muslim religion. One of the major factors
that I have evidenced in my country is Islamophobia. However, I personally have never
developed islamophobic mentality and the chief reason behind this is my camaraderie with a
good number of Muslim individual from high school to my job life. The constant conflict
between the western and the Islam religion have interested me to select the topic and research on

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the same. My chief purpose of selective this topic is to learn about the varied kind off theories
associated with multiculturalism and the Islam region. From the above discussion, I came to
know how the world-system theory developed by Immnuel Wallerstin have pointed out the
partial judgments that are being faced by followers of Islamic religion in UK.. not only that, I
also came to know about the chief reasons behind the islamophobia in Europe. As per my
opinion, it is the responsibility of the government to educate non-Muslims about the importance
of multiculturalism in order to enhance the acceptance of the same towards the Islamic religion.
The world system theory has pointed out the political and social aspect associated with the
framework of Multiculturalism provided by Islam.
I will definitely continue the research in order to find out some of my questions that
remained unanswered in this report. For instance, I would like to know about how the
competence between the Islam as well as the non-Muslims community can be enhanced in order
to create a multicultural nation. The chief challenges that I have faced while conducting the
research is the lack of scholarly articles associated with the topic.
Conclusion
Form the above discussion, it can be concluded that that Muslims in UK are facing a
good number of multicultural issues that in turn is imposing impact on the political as well as
social aspects of the nation. In spite of the fact that a good number of theories have been
developed in order to evaluate the topic, the theories lack practical application.

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Reference List
Benson, S. R. (2016). Globalized islamic holy terrorism: factors & motivations. Наукові праці
МАУП. Серія: Політичні науки, (4), 79-86.
Clennon, O. D. (2016). The ethical implications of ideological and political multiculturalism in
the UK. International Perspectives of Multiculturalism: The Ethical Challenges, 25-69.
Elrifai, S. (2016). Choosing Sharia? Multiculturalism, Islamic Fundamentalism & Sharia
CouncilsOn British Islam: Religion, Law and Everyday Practice in Shari’a
Councils. International Journal of Constitutional Law, 14(4), 1034-1038.
Haynes, J. (2017). Religion and multiculturalism. In European Social Problems, Routledge, 51-
67.
McGhee, D., & Zhang, S. (2017). Nurturing resilient future citizens through value consistency
vs. the retreat from multiculturalism and securitisation in the promotion of British values
in schools in the UK. Citizenship Studies, 21(8), 937-950.
Westrop, S. (2016). Hidden in Plain Sight: Deobandis, Islamism and British Multiculturalism
Policy. In Faith-Based Violence and Deobandi Militancy in Pakistan, Palgrave
Macmillan, London, 453-480.
Yaqin, A., Morey, P., & Soliman, A. (Eds.). (2018). Muslims, Trust and Multiculturalism: New
Directions. Springer.
Yu, G. I., & Yu, E. K. (2017). Islamic diffusion in the baltics: the fruit of European
multiculturalism. Baltic Region, 9(3).

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Zee, M. E. (2015). Choosing sharia? Multiculturalism, Islamic fundamentalism and British
sharia councils (Doctoral dissertation, Encyclopedia and Philosophy of Law, Faculty of
Law, Leiden University).