Karim Mitha
Karim Mitha has an inter-disciplinary and international academic background, with degrees in the biological sciences, psychology, social sciences, and humanities, and having been educated in three continents. His background in health psychology has enabled him to use mixed-methods research approaches to examine behavioural factors in health outcomes. Having lectured in Public Health, Psychology and Medicine, his current research themes are broadly aligned with diversity issues and cross-cultural care – looking at issues of social exclusion, acculturation, experiences of care, and factors involved in mental ill health. He engages with social psychology perspectives to examine aspects of social policy, marginalization, religion, and culture within concepts of group process theory, identity, and social representation.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Royal Society of Public Health, and holds Graduate Basis for Chartered status with The British Psychological Society as part of the Divisions of Health Psychology and Academics/Researchers in Psychology and Social Psychology Section. He is also a Member of the European Health Psychology Society and British Sociological Association.
He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and Royal Society of Public Health, and holds Graduate Basis for Chartered status with The British Psychological Society as part of the Divisions of Health Psychology and Academics/Researchers in Psychology and Social Psychology Section. He is also a Member of the European Health Psychology Society and British Sociological Association.
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Conference Presentations by Karim Mitha
Muslims in Scotland comprise 1.45% of the Scottish population. It is said that due to Scotland's focus on civic nationalism, Scottish Muslims feel more integrated and part of society. Extant literature has perpetuated this view, with academics outwith the community portraying a very positive light. However, suggestive evidence by scholars from within the community have suggested a difference. Given feelings of Islamophobia in the English context, this study sought to examine whether current literature accords with an "in-group" researcher.
Design and Methods: A stratified sampling method was employed examining religious leaders, Muslim clinicians, and key informants third-sector agencies catering to the Muslim community in Scotland. A total of 20 respondents were obtained. Respondents were ethnically heterogeneous to examine whether constructs of a singular Muslim identity existed. Data was analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: There was a strong sense of Muslim identity amongst the respondents. Gender appeared to be a strong modifier, with men often downplaying incidents which could be construed as racist or Islamophobic. Women felt particularly marked as different and spoke of feelings of disenfranchisement and ostracisation. Elements of "culture clash" and not belonging were pervasive throughout the sample. Respondents felt particularly marginalised due to government policies of PREVENT and immigration.
Conclusions: The ethnically disparate and lack of ethnic density perhaps lended respondents to seek belonging in a supra-ordinate identity. Despite political discourse of inclusion Scottish Muslims do feel there is a lack of cultural competency and feel unfairly targetted. Despite wanting to feel Scottish, Scottish Muslims do experience a great deal of stigma and that despite Scotland's perception as progressive, this doesn't extend to its receptivity of its Muslim population.
terror and alienation. While these tend to reflect the prevalent discourse of Muslim minorities, there is
an increasing effort by Muslims themselves to subvert this depiction to reflect how they position
themselves in their country of residence. The Canadian television program, “Little Mosque on the
Prairie”, was, by admission of its UK-born, female, Muslim creator Zarqa Nawaz, envisioned as a
medium for cultural understanding. It depicts Muslims as “normal” individuals, while addressing
controversial issues. Indeed, this genre of “Muslim comedy” has now reached UK shores with the
controversial “Citizen Khan”, by UK-born comedian Adil Ray. While it can be said that both are
seeking to encourage cross-cultural dialogue through comedy, each has taken a different approach in
its depiction of its national Muslim populations, and reflects the community’s integration. This paper
will examine, using the examples of “Little Mosque on the Prairie” and “Citizen Khan”, how Muslims
are engaging with media to construct Muslim identity and address issues of integration and race
relations. Furthermore, it will argue that these two programs reflect the current discourse surrounding
multiculturalism and Muslim integration in their respective countries and in so doing, are actively
involved in forging their own meaning of the Canadian/British Muslim identities.
Muslims in Scotland comprise 1.45% of the Scottish population. It is said that due to Scotland's focus on civic nationalism, Scottish Muslims feel more integrated and part of society. Extant literature has perpetuated this view, with academics outwith the community portraying a very positive light. However, suggestive evidence by scholars from within the community have suggested a difference. Given feelings of Islamophobia in the English context, this study sought to examine whether current literature accords with an "in-group" researcher.
Design and Methods: A stratified sampling method was employed examining religious leaders, Muslim clinicians, and key informants third-sector agencies catering to the Muslim community in Scotland. A total of 20 respondents were obtained. Respondents were ethnically heterogeneous to examine whether constructs of a singular Muslim identity existed. Data was analysed using thematic analysis.
Results: There was a strong sense of Muslim identity amongst the respondents. Gender appeared to be a strong modifier, with men often downplaying incidents which could be construed as racist or Islamophobic. Women felt particularly marked as different and spoke of feelings of disenfranchisement and ostracisation. Elements of "culture clash" and not belonging were pervasive throughout the sample. Respondents felt particularly marginalised due to government policies of PREVENT and immigration.
Conclusions: The ethnically disparate and lack of ethnic density perhaps lended respondents to seek belonging in a supra-ordinate identity. Despite political discourse of inclusion Scottish Muslims do feel there is a lack of cultural competency and feel unfairly targetted. Despite wanting to feel Scottish, Scottish Muslims do experience a great deal of stigma and that despite Scotland's perception as progressive, this doesn't extend to its receptivity of its Muslim population.
terror and alienation. While these tend to reflect the prevalent discourse of Muslim minorities, there is
an increasing effort by Muslims themselves to subvert this depiction to reflect how they position
themselves in their country of residence. The Canadian television program, “Little Mosque on the
Prairie”, was, by admission of its UK-born, female, Muslim creator Zarqa Nawaz, envisioned as a
medium for cultural understanding. It depicts Muslims as “normal” individuals, while addressing
controversial issues. Indeed, this genre of “Muslim comedy” has now reached UK shores with the
controversial “Citizen Khan”, by UK-born comedian Adil Ray. While it can be said that both are
seeking to encourage cross-cultural dialogue through comedy, each has taken a different approach in
its depiction of its national Muslim populations, and reflects the community’s integration. This paper
will examine, using the examples of “Little Mosque on the Prairie” and “Citizen Khan”, how Muslims
are engaging with media to construct Muslim identity and address issues of integration and race
relations. Furthermore, it will argue that these two programs reflect the current discourse surrounding
multiculturalism and Muslim integration in their respective countries and in so doing, are actively
involved in forging their own meaning of the Canadian/British Muslim identities.
support and moving forward as a community without stigmas and judgements.
diverse. Nevertheless, in the current political climate, Australian
Muslims may feel as though they live under a microscope of
scrutiny with their sense of affiliation and allegiance questioned.
The narrative regarding Muslims in Australia has largely focused
on Sunnis and ethnic Arabs. This qualitative study examines the
Australian Shi’a Isma’ili Muslim community – a minority within a
minority – and how attachment to supraordinate identity markers
of ‘Muslim’ and ‘Australian’ influence their identity construction. It
utilised semi-structured interviews with 16 first- and secondgeneration
Isma’ili Muslims to examine the intersection of
national, religious, and cultural identities via the lens of Identity
Process Theory (IPT). Religious identity was important to
respondents, who spoke of how their ‘double minority’ status
distinguished them vis-à-vis the broader Muslim community in
Australia and Australian society overall. Nevertheless, respondents
noted a strong sense of instrumental attachment to Australia
which enabled them to develop a distinct niche of Isma’ili Muslim
identity unique to the Australian landscape.