'Social Identity and Attitudes towards Terrorism amongst British South Asian Muslims'

When?

Monday 4 October 2004, 17:00 to 18:30

Where?

19AD04

Open to:

Public, Staff, Students

Speaker:

Dr. Marco Cinnirella

Dr Marco Cinnirella (Royal Holloway)

The talk will present selected findings from two psychological survey studies conducted between 2002-2003 in the UK with volunteer Muslim participants. In the first study, practising Muslims, recruited from mosques in south east England, completed a questionnaire and some were also interviewed about their religious beliefs, degree of identification with nation, religion and ethnic group, and their attitudes towards religious martyrdom, suicide and terrorism. The second study presents data from Muslim university students in London and looks at similar issues in a more statistically rigorous manner. Both studies provide evidence that the degree of psychological identification with Britain, Islam and ethnic group, together influence attitudes towards terrorism. Furthermore, our data indicate some interesting psychological consequences of the 9-11 attacks for British Muslims. A selection of interview and questionnaire findings from each study will be presented, and an argument forwarded that a social psychological approach to understanding the bases of support for terrorism is long overdue.

Marco Cinnirella obtained his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from the L.S.E. and is currently Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London. His research has focused on topics such as the social psychology of European integration, stereotyping, and mental health issues in ethnic minority groups. His present research projects focus on social identity amongst British Muslims of South Asian descent and Islamophobic prejudice in 'white' Anglo-Saxon Britons.