Coping with religious and cultural homophobia: emotion and narratives of identity threat among British Muslim gay men

This chapter focuses upon the narratives of British Muslim gay men (BMGM). It argues that some ethnic and religious minority non-heterosexual men reject the sexual category gay due to its White' connotations. The chapter begins with an overview of identity process theory, a socio-psychological theory of identity construction, threat and coping, and the conceptual inter-relations between religious/cultural homophobia, identity and emotion among BMGM. There was a concern with the socio-psychological strategies manifested in order to cope with such religious and cultural homophobia. The chapter concerns participants' responses to religious and cultural homophobia with identity threat and emotion as central foci. It describes a novel contribution to research and theory by exploring how homophobic ideas and representations associated with religious and cultural group memberships may affect the self-concept and induce particular emotional experiences among BMGM

Identity threat among British Muslim gay men

Being gay in a heteronormative world can be difficult and stressful, but for Muslims who identify as gay, life can be particularly problematic. This is due primarily to negative social representations of homosexuality within Islam. This article elucidates some of the socio-psychological challenges which may be experienced by British Muslim gay men through a brief discussion of the relevant literature in this area. It is argued that psychologists ought to engage with these issues to complement ongoing work within sociology, and that studying the interface of sexuality and religion has important implications for policy and practice, particularly within counselling psychology

Muslim LGB people

The social sciences has long been concerned with how human beings interact with, and make sense of, their social environments; indeed, social psychology seeks to integrate the societal and psychological levels of analysis and provides the tools for understanding how the social world, and the social changes inherent to it, can impact a person's sense of identity and psychological wellbeing, as well as the individual's response to change. Drawing upon the body of available social psychological evidence that has emerged in recent years, this entry focuses upon the identities, experiences and wellbeing of LGB Muslims. Much of this research has centered around gay/bisexual Muslim men but some has also focused upon Muslim lesbians. This entry will provide (i) brief insights into the theological, legal and social representations of homosexuality in Islamic societies, (ii) empirical insights into the identities, experiences and wellbeing of LGB Muslims, and (iii) recommendations for further research, and policy and practice

‘Insider’ or ‘outsider’? Conducting qualitative psychological research with British South Asians

In recent years social psychologists, as well as scholars from a variety of other academic disciplines, have become increasingly interested in identity among Britons of South Asian (BSA) descent, using a plethora of methodological approaches, both quantitative and qualitative (Cinnirella and Hamilton, 2007; Ghuman, 2003; Vadher and Barrett, in press). Although there is now a burgeoning academic literature focusing upon BSA identity, it does not appear to be matched by scholarly enquiry into methodological issues such as the ‘insider’/ ‘outsider’ dynamics as experienced by researchers and participants (for an exception, see Archer, 2001). This is perhaps not entirely surprising given traditional psychology’s focus upon quantitative research, which expects and assumes a degree of ‘objectivity’, whereby the researcher and ‘the researched’ are entirely separate and independent of one another (Coyle, 2007). However, in qualitative psychological research this is rarely possible. But what can be said about the relationship between the researcher and the participants? What is the importance of the researcher within the broader context of the research

Delegitimizing Jews and Israel in Iran's International Holocaust Cartoon Contest

In 2006, the Iranian government-aligned newspaper Hamshahri sponsored The International Holocaust Cartoon Contest. The stated aim of the contest was to denounce "Western hypocrisy on freedom of speech," and to challenge "Western hegemony" in relation to Holocaust knowledge. This government-backed initiative was a clear attempt to export the Iranian regime's anti-Zionist agenda. Using qualitative thematic analysis and Social Representations Theory, this article provides an in-depth qualitative analysis of the cartoons submitted to the contest in order to identify emerging social representations of Jews and Israel. Three superordinate themes are outlined: (i) "Constructing the 'Evil Jew' and 'Brutal Israel' as a Universal Threat;" (ii) "Denying the Holocaust and Affirming Palestinian Suffering;" (iii) "Constructing International Subservience to 'Nazi-Zionist' Ideology." Although the organizers of the International Holocaust Cartoon Contest claimed that their aims were anti-Zionist, this article elucidates the overtly anti-Semitic character of the contest and its cartoons. It is argued that the cartoons exhibit a distorted, one-sided version of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and of Jewish history, and may therefore shape viewers' beliefs concerning Jews and Israel in fundamentally negative ways, with negative outcomes for intergroup relations and social harmony

Sexuality, migration and identity among gay Iranian migrants to the UK

Homosexuality is strictly forbidden in Iran and, under certain circumstances, carries the death penalty. Many gay and lesbian Iranians emigrate to avoid persecution. Using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, this chapter examines the identities and experiences of 25 self-identified gay Iranian migrants to the UK. The analysis revealed three themes: (1) “Being gay in Iran: A social and psychological struggle”; (2) “Capitalising on being gay in Iran”; and (3) “Migration: A psychological ‘cue’ for re-conceptualisation.” The chapter outlines some of the socio-psychological struggles experienced by individuals, and shows how their perspectives may be shaped by their migratory experience, which in many cases provides a new lens for viewing their sexuality

Social psychological debates about identity

We live in an ever-changing social world, which constantly calls forth changes to our identities and actions. Advances in science, technology and medicine, political upheaval, and economic development are just some examples of social change that can impact upon how we live our lives, how we view ourselves and each other, and how we communicate. Social change can result in the salience and visibility of particular social categories, changes in the assimilation, accommodation and evaluation of these categories, and new patterns of action. Similarly, individual psychological change – getting a new job, being diagnosed with a life-changing illness, growing old - can dramatically affect our sense of self, potentially forcing us to re-think who we are, our relationships with others and how we ought to behave in particular contexts. What social change and psychological change have in common is their power to radically affect our identities and actions. This volume is about identity, change and action. The contributors to this volume address this tripartite relationship in diverse and complex social psychological contexts. The chapters endeavor to explore the antecedents of changes in identity and action, and their developmental trajectory. It is easy to see why the important task of examining the tripartite relationship between identity, change and action has generally been neglected by social psychologists. Core debates in the field have focused on questions about the “correct” unit of analysis (psychological or sociological); competition between the quantitative and qualitative paradigms; and epistemology. These divides have, to a large extent, impeded theoretical integration. Identity Process Theory sits within this matrix of debate because of its integrative focus on the intrapsychic, interpersonal and intergroup levels, its methodological diversity and epistemological eclecticism. The theory constitutes a valuable explanatory tool for addressing pressing social psychological problems of the 21st century, and aspires to acquire predictive power as it is refined and developed in empirical work. We decided to edit this volume amid a growing body of diverse empirical research based on the theory since the early 1980s. It has been used by social psychologists in particular but has broader appeal in the social sciences and among practitioners. Thus, Identity Process Theory has an important role to play in shaping the social psychology of identity, change and action. As evidenced by the chapters in this volume, Identity Process Theory research has addressed a wide range of pressing real-world issues – national identity, post-conflict societies, sexual behavior, risk, place and environment, and prejudice. Furthermore, unlike many Western social psychological theories, Identity Process Theory has been used as a heuristic tool in diverse geographical and cultural settings – the UK, Spain, Canada, India, Israel, and others. Yet, the diversity that characterizes the theory can also make it difficult to delineate conceptually. This volume provides a summary of the development of Identity Process Theory and contextualizes the theory in the social psychology of identity, change and action

Pre-exposure prophylaxis in the UK: Identity, stigma and activism

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), which is the cause of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), remains a major public health concern some 35 years after its first clinical observations. In the UK, men who have sex with men (MSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. According to the Public Health England HIV Situation Report in 2015, approximately 43% of the 103700 individuals living with HIV in the UK are MSM, while 57% of the 5850 new HIV diagnoses (through sexual exposure) were within this demographic group. In London, it is estimated that 1 in 11 MSM is living with HIV. These epidemiological data suggest that existing HIV prevention methods, such as condom use, have not been entirely effective and that novel approaches are needed in the fight against HIV/AIDS