Islamophobia, Anti-Racism and the British Left

Scarlet Harris is a lecturer in the department of Sociology, Social Policy and Criminology at the University of Liverpool.

'Islamophobia, Anti-Racism and the British Left is a well-argued and richly detailed analysis of how the issue of Islamophobia fits - and fails to fit - into prevailing forms of Left and liberal anti-racist politics. With a refreshing focus on Glasgow and Manchester, it powerfully describes the local constraints and possibilities of anti-racist organizing.'Arun Kundnani, author of The Muslims are Coming! Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror and What is Antiracism? And Why it Means Anticapitalism'This ground-breaking work offers a trenchant analysis of how Islamophobia is understood and resisted by the British anti-racist left. Harris offers rich empirical data through in-depth interviews with activists in Manchester and Glasgow to make a strong case that Islamophobia should be understood as racism. Going beyond liberal notions of race, Harris demonstrates that a more effective anti-racist response requires linking everyday experiences of Islamophobia to the role of the British state and racial capitalism. By bringing together discussions of Islamophobia, anti-racism and abolition politics, the book makes an important contribution to our thinking about solidarity and resistance.'Deepa Kumar, author of Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire: 20 Years Since 9/11 'This incisive book pulls back the layers on so much, stripping back the semantics on Islamophobia to centre the structural. Aided by a rich tapestry of voices, Islamophobia, anti-racism and the British Left focuses on a solidaristic vision that ties all of us towards a liberated tomorrow - from Piccadilly Gardens to Palestine.'Ilyas Nagdee, co-author of Race to the Bottom: Reclaiming Antiracism

• Introduction1 Islamophobia and the politics of place in anti-racist work2 On fear, (un)familiarity and interaction: the limits of the liberal in approaches to Islamophobia3 Islamophobia and/on the British left: Muslim activists as ‘racialised outsiders’4 An anti-racism for our times: Islamophobia and the politics of abolitionConclusionBibliographyIndex