Islam in the Hinterlands

Book excerpt: Muslim communities have become increasingly salient in the social, cultural, and political landscape in Canada largely due to the aftermath of 9/11 and the racial politics of the ongoing “war on terror” that have cast Muslims as the new “enemy within.” Islam in the Hinterlands features empirical studies and critical essays by some of Canada’s top Muslim Studies scholars who examine how gender, public policy, media, and education shape the Muslim experience in Canada. Touching on much-debated issues, such as the shar’ia controversy, veiling in public schools, media portrayals of Muslims, and anti-terrorism legislation, this book takes a distinctly anti-racist, feminist standpoint in exploring the reality of the Muslim diaspora. A timely collection addressing some of the most hotly contested issues in recent cultural history, Islam in the Hinterlands will be essential reading for academics as well as general readers interested in Islamic studies, multiculturalism, and social justice.