Downloadable Questionnairs

Interview Questions

1.       What is your: age; gender; education/profession; place of birth/up-bringing; citizenship; parent origin

2.       How do you identify yourself? And why?

(I.e. when someone asks, ‘where are you from?’ – what do you say? i.e. British Arab, British Muslim, British etc?)

3.       What kind of ties do you have to your parents’ homeland?  Language spoken at home?

4.       Do you feel there is any incompatibility between being British and Muslim?  If so, why? What is it?

5.       Has there ever been a time in your life during which you reassessed your understanding of your own identity?  If so, was there an event or events that prompted your reassessment?  How did these events affect your sense of identity?

6.       If it were possible for you to feel more comfortable within British society, what would achieve that?

7.       What is your definition of citizenship? (What are the duties? What are the rights?)

8.       What would you define as typical British values? Do you share them? (why/why not?)

9.       How would you characterise your level of political participation? Do you vote regularly? Why or why not?  Are you a member of a party?  Member of any civil society group?

10.   Do you feel represented by the political systems/parties of the country?  If so, why?  If not, why not?

11.   Do you think any Muslim organisations represent your interests? If so, in what way? If not, why not?

12.   What does the ‘war on terror’ mean to you?

13.   Who do you think is responsible for combating extremism and terrorism? (i.e., government, foreign policy, Muslim leaders/communities/individuals/society in general, other, etc?) Also if you think that Muslim leaders need to combat terrorism, do you think they are doing enough?

14.   How do you feel about PM Blair’s rhetoric on terrorism with regard to A) encouraging Muslim to confront extremism and assist the government’s counter terrorism efforts and B) when he issued a warning 5 August 2005 outlining anti-terrorism measures that threaten fundamental freedoms in the UK stating:  “Let no one be in any doubt. The rules of the game are changing”? Explain.

15.   Do you think the current counter terrorism policies of the British government and security services are effective in preventing terrorism? (i.e. detaining suspects without charge for up to 14 days, special agreements with Jordan, Lebanon and Libya to return foreign terror suspects back to those countries, allowing CIA flights carrying terror suspects transferred outside the normal judicial process to pass through UK airspace – etc), Explain.

16.   Have you ever been stopped and searched by the police? If so, how did you feel? Did it have any lasting impact on you? Do you think stop and search based racial profiling on is a necessary policy to prevent terrorism?

17.   Has your perception of the British political and judicial systems changed over time?  If so, how?  Can you identify any particular cause for this change?

18.   Are you confident in the impartiality of the police and the judicial system regarding their treatment of Muslims? (i.e. that you will be given the right to have a fair and speedy trial, the right to know evidence against you, the right to be considered innocent until proven guilty…)

19.   If you were arrested and detained by a foreign government, are you confident that the British government would make every possible effort to assist you / ensure that you were afforded fair treatment?

20.  What impact if any have the following had on your understanding of your identity and sense of British citizenship?:

                                                               i.            July 7^th London bombing?

                                                             ii.            Accidental police killing of Charles de Menenzes at Stockwell Tube station and wrongful arrest/shooting of Forest Gate brothers?

                                                            iii.            Invasions and continued troop deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq ?

                                                           iv.            Recent British policy regarding the situation in Palestine and Lebanon/Israel?

                                                             v.            Detentions at Guantanamo Bay ?

Any further comments?

Many thanks for filling this questionnaire.

Your answers will be kept completely confidential and anonymous.

Please do not hesitate to call me should you have any further questions.

Layla El-Wafi, 079 1000 6853, lelwafi@gmail.com