Islamophobia, Anti-Racism and the British Left - (Racism, Resistance and Social Change) by Scarlet Harris (Hardcover)

About the Book

Islamophobia, anti-racism and the British left critically explores the treatment of Islamophobia by those committed to challenging it. In interrogating how activists and community workers conceptualise Islamophobia and what this means for practices on the ground, this book develops an alternative approach from and for the anti-racist left.

Book Synopsis

Islamophobia is one of the most misunderstood and pernicious forms of racism in Britain. But how do those committed to challenging Islamophobia understand it? And what does this mean for their practices 'on the ground'?

Islamophobia, anti-racism and the British left combines first-hand accounts from activists and community workers across two British cities with sociological theory, critically interrogating Islamophobia's relationship to 'race', racial capitalism and other modalities of racism. Setting this discussion against some of the most pertinent political shifts in Britain in recent years - from the resurgence of left nationalism to Black Lives Matter - the book assesses the limits of recent attempts to think about and tackle Islamophobia, and considers the possibilities of an alternative approach from and for the anti-racist left.

From the Back Cover

'A well-argued and richly detailed analysis of how the issue of Islamophobia fits - and fails to fit - into prevailing forms of Left and liberal anti-racist politics.'
Arun Kundnani, author of The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror

'This groundbreaking work offers rich empirical data through in-depth interviews with activists in Manchester and Glasgow. Bringing together discussions of Islamophobia, anti-racism and abolition politics, the book makes an important contribution to our thinking about solidarity and resistance.'
Deepa Kumar, author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire: 20 Years Since 9/11

'Aided by a rich tapestry of voices, this book focuses on a solidaristic vision that ties all of us towards a liberated tomorrow - from Piccadilly Gardens to Palestine.'
Ilyas Nagdee, co-author of Race to the Bottom: Reclaiming Antiracism

Islamophobia, anti-racism and the British left interrogates the treatment of Islamophobia by those committed to challenging it. Drawing on first-hand accounts across two British cities, it explores the ways in which anti-racist activists and community workers understand the problem of Islamophobia, and what this means for their responses on the ground.

Islamophobia remains one of the most misunderstood varieties of racism in the current moment. Through rigorous sociological analysis and an engagement with anti-racisms past and present, this book casts a clarifying lens on Islamophobia's complex relationship to 'race', other racisms and racial capitalism, and offers a critical assessment of recent attempts to talk about and tackle it.

Reflecting on key political trends and covering topics as diverse as left nationalism, liberal hegemony, and histories of Black radicalism, Islamophobia, anti-racism and the British left promises a fresh approach to resisting Islamophobia from and for the anti-racist left.

Review Quotes

'Islamophobia, Anti-Racism and the British Left is a well-argued and richly detailed analysis of how the issue of Islamophobia fits - and fails to fit - into prevailing forms of Left and liberal anti-racist politics. With a refreshing focus on Glasgow and Manchester, it powerfully describes the local constraints and possibilities of anti-racist organizing.'
Arun Kundnani, author of The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror and What is Antiracism? And Why it Means Anticapitalism

'This ground-breaking work offers a trenchant analysis of how Islamophobia is understood and resisted by the British anti-racist left. Harris offers rich empirical data through in-depth interviews with activists in Manchester and Glasgow to make a strong case that Islamophobia should be understood as racism. Going beyond liberal notions of race, Harris demonstrates that a more effective anti-racist response requires linking everyday experiences of Islamophobia to the role of the British state and racial capitalism. By bringing together discussions of Islamophobia, anti-racism and abolition politics, the book makes an important contribution to our thinking about solidarity and resistance.'
Deepa Kumar, author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire: 20 Years Since 9/11

'This incisive book pulls back the layers on so much, stripping back the semantics on Islamophobia to centre the structural. Aided by a rich tapestry of voices, Islamophobia, anti-racism and the British Left focuses on a solidaristic vision that ties all of us towards a liberated tomorrow - from Piccadilly Gardens to Palestine.'
Ilyas Nagdee, co-author of Race to the Bottom: Reclaiming Antiracism

About the Author

Scarlet Harris is a researcher and Teaching Associate in the department of Sociology, University of Cambridge