Voices Shaping the

6. Conclusions

This research project was tasked with mapping a social ecology of the voices of influence in the lives of young Muslim Australians including their own, their peers’ and official voices of the society and government. Specifically it sought to identify the plurality and sources, of voices of influence, and the various ways which these shape the experience, attitudes, beliefs and opinions of young Muslim Australians. The research also sought to provide an assessment of practical measures, which can support young Muslim Australians, and to identify consistent gaps in government, non‐government and individual approaches in this regard. Mapping the social ecology of young people requires an understanding of their spaces and places of belonging, their social networks, figures and ideas of inspiration, voices of influence that contribute positively or negatively to social cohesion, and the strategies that enhance meaningful citizenship.

Mapping Social Ecology

The research shed light on the diversity to be found in the lives of young Muslim Australians. The

‘map’ revealed a wide diversity in cultural, linguistic, religious affiliation, of birthplace, whether immigrant background or second or third generation Australian, and educational, gender and class differences. What was very clear was that there is no one ‘Muslim’ identity or youth culture. Situated in that social ecological map are young individuals living through a period of transition, of personal development into adulthood. This period is best described as a time of identity testing, of finding oneself in an adult world. This is where the individual embarks on creating new spaces within the domain of the local, the Muslim and Australian communities, finding their place in a globalised world.
The research pointed to the fluid nature of identity development in young people, where they have hybrid identities. In mapping the voices of young Muslim Australians, we know that they feel a very strong connection and belonging to Australia, and that they ‘feel good’ about living here. They feel ‘integrated’ or part and parcel of the Australian polity, even though they recognize the negative perception and marginalized status imposed on them within the wider community. They do not lead ‘separate’ or ‘parallel’ lives to other Australians. They believe their practices of Islam and living as ‘Australians’ are compatible, talking about conciliatory ways of living within the wider community. Within that social ecology we see the expression and emergence of an ‘Australian Islam’, led and developed by young people. Young Muslim Australians are hopeful about the future, despite their concerns about negative perceptions of Islam and Muslims. Those of refugee backgrounds hold particularly high aspirations.
In mapping the social networks and connections of young Muslim Australians, we find they tend to have strong family and friendship ties. They have friends from a variety of backgrounds being comfortable in a mixed society. For some young Muslim Australians, socializing with alcohol is clearly uncomfortable, while others find creative ways of socializing that are acceptable to all parties.
The young people surveyed belonged to or participated in a range of organizations, Muslim and non‐Muslim. These included student associations, youth groups, mosque associations, sporting groups, community organizations and charities and many others.
Young Muslim Australians tend to function competently as modern individuals in spaces that define the contemporary world, particularly in relation to their use of the Internet and digital, electronic and print media, traversing the local through to the global. They are savvy with technology, which they use to network socially as well as to check the validity of news stories presented in the Australian context. All these aspects point to the richness inherent in these young people’s lives.

Voices of Influence

The study shed light on sources of influence, those voices that inform and shape opinions of young Muslim Australians. It becomes relevant here to consider whose ‘voices’ young Australian Muslims seek for help, who is it they trust, which people and ideas inspire them, and which values they hold dear. Voices of authority (media, religious and political), the voices that contribute to the experience of displacement and those which contribute to social cohesion are also important in this discussion.

A very strong finding of this research reveals that young people seek help and advice about personal problems and information about world events and politics from their families – from parents, elders, uncles, aunts and siblings, and friends, and from their religious advisors and schoolteachers. In addition, these young people seek out news from newspapers and other media sources ‐ the Internet, free to air as well as satellite TV and radio.
Young Muslim Australians are inspired by religious ideas, human rights, education and multiculturalism. Their most important values were honesty, religious practice and responsibility, tolerance and respect for others, politeness and neatness, patience and hard work. These are essential positive social and moral values that can be regarded as universal in nature.
They are mostly inspired by family members and friends, by people of good character, by religious leaders and professionals, and by the Prophet Muhammad. Their role models and figures of inspiration included Australian sporting figures like Hazem El Masri, Basha Houli, and Anthony Mundine, Nobel laureates Muhammad Younis and Shirin Ebadi, Omar Khayyam the poet, Salahuddin the historic political figure, Ahmad Fahour (previous boss of NAB), Randa Abdelfattah the writer, popular musicians such as Mos Def and Lupe Fiasco, Kayne West, Loon and Brothahood, and comedians of Muslim background (e.g. the Salam Café team and others), Dalia Mugahid and Malcolm X.
Voices of authority are to be found in the religious and political domains of life. In general young Muslim Australians hold their religious leaders in high regard, especially those who they feel understand their circumstances as young modern Australians. In regards to political figures, stakeholders are concerned about political messages that are divisive in the mainstream. They also are concerned about the ‘blanket of politics’ that covers all things Muslim, giving Muslim identity a ‘politically embedded’ dimension.
Other voices of authority, such as ‘the media’ played a central role in the lives of young Muslim Australians. Young people are distressed by what they describe as the uneven, distorted coverage and stereotyping of Muslims in the mainstream media. They regard the media as biased, one sided and too American in its content. As such young people seek alternative global news sources, particularly stories about news on Muslims or the Middle East or the ‘War on Terror’.
The mainstream media in the post 9/11 context presents particular challenges for young Muslim Australians especially as they desire to portray positive self images of themselves as Australians. The ‘War on Terror’ and negative coverage of Muslims and Islam has led our informants to develop a sense of being socially denigrated. Fear of engaging the media due to little control and perceived anti‐Muslim bias was noted, even though Muslim Australian commentators see media engagement as essential in changing perceptions of Muslims. Young Muslim Australians are acutely aware that in the media and in the public domain, the attribution of ‘Muslim’ represented something abject or negative.
‘The media’ contributes greatly to young Muslim Australians sense of displacement in society. This compounding effect of the media on their lives can be evidenced in the stereotypes they endure, the discrimination, Islamophia and everyday racisms they experience. They perceive that

^{‘bad’ news stories ascribed to Muslims persist, and that ascriptions to ‘good’ news stories rarely}
apply. The debates surrounding the hijab and burqa, and gang rapes all contribute to perpetuation of negative stereotypes, for young men and women. Hearing ‘voices’ which link a

^{‘Muslim’ descriptor with tags such as ‘terrorist’ was not an uncommon occurrence. One concern}
voiced by a Muslim community worker raised in Australia was the intergenerational nature of prejudice and discrimination, which he saw as now extending to his children.
Voices that do the opposite, that is, those that bridge and bond communities in the Australian landscape were clearly heard in the arts, sporting and other cultural contexts. Young Muslims find inspiration in other Muslim figures such as sportsmen like Hazem El Masri, musicians, and comedians like those involved with Salam café. They also participate in opportunities for cultural expression. The increased participation in community poetry, comedy, music and art events are examples of this. Recreational and sports activities were other ways identified as encouraging social cohesion, cultural interaction and friendships, and breaking down the barriers of displacement.

Directory: sites -> default -> files -> documents -> 01 2014
documents -> Ace abi catair customs and Trade Automated Interface Requirements
documents -> Mobile audio/video recording systems
documents -> The south australian government gazette
documents -> All public acts appearing in this gazette are to be considered official, and obeyed as such
documents -> Union interparlementaire inter-parliamentary union
01 2014 -> Muslim Voices – Hopes and aspirations of Muslim Australians Centre for Muslim Minorities & Islam Policy Studies
01 2014 -> Prepared by: Kais Al‐Momani Nour Dados Marion Maddox Amanda Wise C
01 2014 -> Editors: Kerry

Download 1.05 Mb.

Share with your friends: