Making Muslimness is essential reading for those who wish to dive into cultural and political performances of Muslimness in the United Kingdom as negotiated through performance. Majid's ethnographic work, artistic practice, and critical interventions remind us of the possibilities of political critique that emerge from openly sharing our lived experiences. This is a beautifully written book that invites its readers to think about religion, identity, and culture with political urgency that makes this book necessary for the field of theatre and performance studies.
Noe Montez, Associate Professor of Theater Studies (Emory University)
Making Muslimness offers a compelling even groundbreaking approach to understanding Muslimness on its own terms, rather than through external, reductive lenses. Majid seamlessly integrates collaborative theatre-making, autoethnography, and meticulous ethnographic fieldwork to illuminate how Mancunian Muslims negotiate their complex, fluid identities in everyday and staged performances particularly in the aftermath of a shattering act of violence. Majid's approach masterfully reveals Muslimness as a dynamic, relational, and often political phenomenon. This is a bold, innovative book that reframes the study of Muslims in Britain with rigor, empathy, and creativity.
Abdul-Rehman Malik, Associate Research Fellow (Yale Divinity School) and Director of the Muslim Leadership Lab (Yale University)