Muslim youths in British Columbia: The implications of multiculturalism for everyday life

This thesis explores the implications of multiculturalism for the everyday life of Muslim youths, focusing on the discrepancies between everyday understandings and theoretical critiques of multiculturalism. Ethnographic research was conducted amongst Muslim youths in the lower mainland of B.C. during two events, which aim to change the misconceptions of non-Muslims about Islam: 1) Islam Awareness Week at Simon Fraser University; and, 2) A Journey Into Islam at Az-Zahraa Islamic Center. The comparison between multiculturalism and secularism, both important theoretical stances on the role of religion in society, is used to argue that the participants have internalized and appropriated the multicultural narrative. Lastly, the thesis argues that the events studied not only counter misconceptions but also fulfill the Islamic duty of da’wa.