“Unity in Diversity?”: Examining Winnipeg and Mississauga’s Second-Generation Pakistani-Canadians’ Perceptions and Experiences of Radicalization
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Date
2020-01-16
Authors
Khan, Saad
Khan, Saad
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Abstract
Canada is a country where people from across the globe have found a place to call home. Immigrants have added to the rich tapestry of cultural diversity and cross-community ties in this country and have raised families here to give their children a secure future. Similar to other communities, immigrants from Pakistan have raised their children in Canada so that they can excel in a society which offers equal opportunities to all. This research examines the perceptions of second-generation Pakistani-Canadians and the role they play in in the context of domestic and national security policy. The study contributes to a better understanding of the role of second-generation immigrants of Pakistani descent in adding to the rich multi-cultural legacy of Canada. Data from this research helps to further build the evidence base regarding Canada’s “national security” interests in this age of homegrown terrorism. The key findings that emerge from this research include that the participants had a fragmented identity and were confused whether their core identity is Canadian or revolves around their Muslim-Pakistani background. They felt strongly that structures favoring the dominant majority have relegated them to second-graded citizens and that white privilege is also a trigger towards radicalization to violence. Participants also perceived that radicalization was a multi-faceted phenomenon that transcends the socioeconomic divide and is exacerbated by the role of the media as well as exogenous factors including the Saudi policy of exporting its version of Salafi Islam to Canada. Finally, the interviewees were apprehensive that Canada would experience the rise of white nationalism and neoliberal capitalism. They were also hopeful that if Canadians did not judge each other on the basis of religion and ethnicity, a positive future awaits this country.
This study highlights the crucial role of second-generation young Pakistanis in radicalization and informing policymakers about the necessity to incorporate the views of second-generation Pakistani-Canadian in order to frame holistic counter radicalization programs based on the voices of the grassroots within Muslim communities so that at-risk youth are saved from radicalization and those having fallen prey to radicalization may be successfully re-integrated into the Canadian polity
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Keywords
Identity, Pakistani-Canadian, Radicalization, Second-Generation, Identity, Pakistani-Canadian, Radicalization, Second-Generation