Current Calls

Spring 2023: Sectarian Divisions in the British Muslim Community 

Since the first labour migrant workers arriving in the early 1900s, various sectarian divisions have existed and evolved amidst British Muslims. From the 70s and 80s onwards Deoband Madrassas have developed as educational pillars across the UK. In an increasingly globalised world however, proliferation of technology and transport has enabled greater exposure to a variety of sects in Islam. In the last decade in particular, Neo-Sufi spaces have become popular amongst younger Muslims who often desire deep spiritual connection in a fast-moving world. To complicate this further, in recent years, Covid-19 suspended the use of mosques leaving millions of British Muslims turning to social media to remain connected to to their faith. During this time sectarian divisions may have become blurred to an extent, as a number of religious scholars who are social media personalities, tend to transcend sectarian divisions in and through their posts. 

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We invite scholars of all backgrounds to write short essays of no more than 2,500 words each to feature in our next issue. We aim to capture sectarian divisions in contemporary British Muslim society from an intersectional lens by which we mean, we would like scholars to explore sectarian divisions in and through the following prisms: gender, geography, class, race, ethnicity. Papers may also focus on the impact of social media and technological advancements on sectarian associations.