Description
This paper provides an analysis of the intersectionality of religion, gender identity and the effects of counterterrorism policy, namely ‘Prevent’. I focus upon Muslim women’s experiences concerning the UK’s counterterrorism strategy Prevent, with a theoretical framework of Critical Race Feminism. This research demonstrates the UK government’s incorporation of Muslim women into CVE policies and how this aids the Prevent strategy’s wider acceptance and legitimacy, whilst also categorising Muslim women as a tool in deradicalization. I directly address the gap between feminist research and the qualitative, lived experiences of Prevent for Muslim women in post-16 education. This study is one of the first to offer insights into Muslim women’s feelings surrounding how Prevent operates within the post-16 education sector. To aid this exploration, Critical Race Feminism is used as a theoretical framework to advance the discussion of intersectionality within this paper. Within the data collected, certain themes are evident such as: the self-censoring of students, the responsibilization of Muslim women, and gendered Islamophobia. The findings of this paper demonstrate that there is a gendered impact of the Prevent strategy within the UK’s post-16 education sector and this occurs through different avenues. Reflections will also be made concerning my researcher positionality and maintaining criticality within the university sphere, particularly when researching the Prevent Duty. Accordingly, this paper should be added to the context of debate about the future of Prevent (if any) particularly within the education sector.
