Cottee, Simon
(2017).
The apostates: A qualitative study of Ex-Muslims in Britain.
[Data Collection]. Colchester, Essex:
Economic and Social Research Council.
10.5255/UKDA-SN-851104
Data description (abstract)
This study explores the phenomenon of Muslim apostasy from the perspective of self-described Muslim apostates. Drawing on life-history interviews with a group of ex-Muslims in Britain, it will provide a detailed qualitative account of what it means and what it is like for apostates to disaffiliate from Islam. It will also conduct interpretive narrative analysis of ex-Muslim published and online personal testimony, as well as semi-structured interviews with politically active Muslim 'career apostates'. The main focus of the study will be on the leaving-process and its ramifications as they are experienced and understood by apostates themselves.
The key aims of the study are:
to provide a close understanding of the experiences and narratives of Muslim apostates living in Britain
to illuminate the dynamics by which individuals become Muslim apostates
to describe the ramifications of apostatizing from Islam for the apostate and to document the various responses which the apostate's leave-taking provokes
to map the political activities of Muslim 'career apostates', and to offer an account of their role.
This study will be of interest not only to a broad range of sociologists, but also to policy-makers interested in the question of religious freedom, and social cohesion more broadly, in contemporary multicultural societies.
| Data creators: |
| Creator Name |
Affiliation |
ORCID (as URL) |
| Cottee Simon |
Bangor University |
|
|
| Sponsors: |
Economic and Social Research Council
|
| Grant reference: |
RES-000-22-4308
|
| Topic classification: |
Society and culture
|
| Date published: |
31 Oct 2013 10:42
|
| Last modified: |
13 Jul 2017 13:14
|
| Collection period: |
| Date from: | Date to: |
|---|
| 1 September 2011 | 30 April 2013 |
|
| Country: |
United Kingdom |
| Data collection method: |
Life History Interview |
| Observation unit: |
Individual |
| Kind of data: |
Numeric |
| Type of data: |
Qualitative and mixed methods data |
| Resource language: |
English |
|
| Data sourcing, processing and preparation: |
Given the sensitive nature of the data I collected and the special sensitivities around the whole issue of Islamic apostasy I am not in a position to make my data available for other users for re-analysis. My core ethical concern reflects the concerns of my interviewees: that their identities remain hidden and that no one should misuse their stories. By sharing my data with others, I would not be able to guarantee that confidentiality would not be breached nor that others would use the data responsibly. All my interviewees signed a participant consent form promising confidentiality and anonymity. When I advertised my interest in speaking with ex-Muslims on the Council of ex-Muslims website (UK), I spoke about this and strongly emphasized the promise of confidentiality. I also wrote via email to all my interviewees prior to the interview, explaining the aims of my research, how I would use my data and reiterating the confidentiality agreement. I also promised my interviewees that I would destroy the audio recording of our interview once I had transcribed it and that under no circumstances would I share the transcript with anyone else. This promise was made after it became clear that I would only be granted an interview once interviewees were fully satisfied that I would not misuse or somehow politicize their testimony in any way. This promise was verbally communicated by me to my interviewees and no one signed an agreement to the effect that an anonymized transcript would be shared with others. Because of the nature of the material I recovered (very detailed life history interviews) there is no feasible way that the transcripts can be satisfactorily anonymized. They simply contain too much specific information about the people involved. Furthermore, much of the material I gathered is massively inflammatory and could, were it made public, possibly threaten the lives of my interviewees.
|
| Rights owners: |
| Name |
Affiliation |
ORCID (as URL) |
| Cottee Simon |
Bangor University |
|
|
| Contact: |
| Name | Email | Affiliation | ORCID (as URL) |
|---|
| Cottee, Simon | s.cottee@kent.ac.uk | Bangor University | Unspecified |
|
| Notes on access: |
The Data Collection only consists of metadata and documentation as the data could not be archived due to legal, ethical or commercial constraints. For further information, please contact the contact person for this data collection.
|
| Publisher: |
Economic and Social Research Council
|
| Last modified: |
13 Jul 2017 13:14
|
|
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