Another world, but with whom? : a Franco-British comparison of the participation of muslim activists in the global justice movement

Abstract

This thesis investigates how progressive social movements deal with religious pluralism and religious political activism by engaging in a cross-country comparison of Muslim activists and their participation within the movement against neo-liberal globalisation (also known as the Global Justice Movement). Taking the example of two nation states which have a similar post-colonial history of migration and settlement, Britain and France, the thesis seeks to explain why we observe such differences in the reactions of social movement leaders to the novel development of Muslim activism within the movement. Using concepts developed in the study of social movements; in particular political opportunity structures (POS) and framing processes, three main findings emerge. Firstly, religion itself is not an explanatory factor behind the involvement of Muslims in this movement, although it may be strategically employed to encourage others. Secondly, reactions to Muslim participation by social movement organisations can be largely attributed to the respective philosophies of integration in each nation state. Social movement leaders in Britain are keen to show how diverse their organisations are by encouraging Muslim participation. In France, such diversity is perceived as weakness because it challenges their collective identity. Counterintuitively, we find more French Muslims willing to participate in social movements despite hostility to their presence by others. This is due to a stronger tradition of mobilisation within the left. Thirdly, different biographical outcomes of activism by Muslim activists within the GJM can be accounted for due to external political opportunity strucutures. British Muslim activists went on to form an electoral alliance with the radical left because of favourable opportunity structures but their French counterparts failed to do the same because opportunities were closed.