Can Religious Affiliation Explain the Disadvantage of Muslim Women in the British Labour Market?

Khattab, Nabil; Hussein, Shereen

doi:10.1177/0950017017711099

Cited by 33 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…It is possible that the explanation varies by region or country. Past research suggests that, in the West, Muslim women and men experience ethnoreligious discrimination and segregation that makes it hard to find jobs (Connor and Koenig ; Khattab and Hussein ; Khattab and Modood ). In Muslim‐dominated countries, the small group of non‐Muslim women may have high employment because they came to the country to work.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do values explain the low employment levels of Muslim women around the world? A within‐ and between‐country analysis

Abdelhadi

England

2018

British Journal of Sociology

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Using worldwide data from the World Values Survey (WVS) gathered in 2010-2014, we examine two distinct ways in which Islam may be associated with women's employment. We show that, within their countries, Muslim women are less likely to be employed than women of other religions. We also examine between-country differences and find that, net of education and family statuses, the employment levels of women living in countries that are 90-100 per cent Muslim are not significantly different than those living in countries that are only 0-20 per cent Muslim. Then we test a prevailing view: that Islam discourages gender egalitarian values, and that these values - held by women themselves or people around them - explain why Muslim women are less likely to be employed than women of other religions within their own countries. Despite the rich measures of values in the WVS and a large sample, we find no evidence that values explain any of the lower employment of Muslim women, mainly because values have little or no effect on women's employment. Thus, we conclude that most of the world's gap in employment between Muslim women and other women is within-country and is not explained by gender ideology. Future research should examine alternative hypotheses, including ethno-religious discrimination.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Do values explain the low employment levels of Muslim women around the world? A within‐ and between‐country analysis

Abdelhadi

England

2018

British Journal of Sociology

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“…It is likely that part of this disadvantage is connected to discrimination; however, cultural factors are likely to play a role as well. Pakistani and Bangladeshi women often have high levels of labour inactivity (Khattab and Hussein, 2017) and are very much responsible for caring and household activities (Dale et al, 2006;Peach, 2005), whereas white British women often combine these with part-time work (O'Reilly et al, 2018).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The impact of youth labour market experiences on later employment opportunities: What roles do ethnicity and gender play?

Zuccotti

O’Reilly

2018

Human Relations

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“…A large number of studies on labor market participation of Muslim women in various regions and countries in the world found that the participation rate among these women is notoriously low, especially when compared to other religious groups (Ali et al 2017, Khattab and Hussein 2017, Moghadam 2003, Read 2003, Spierings 2016. Many of these studies have attributed the low participation rate to religious and cultural reasons, arguing that Islam, including the different interpretation of it within particular local contexts, places women within the private sphere, perceiving them as wives and mothers whose activity should be restricted to domestic roles (e.g.…”

Section: Cultural Explanationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Muslim women in the Canadian labor market: Between ethnic exclusion and religious discrimination

Khattab

Miaari

Mohamed-Ali³

et al. 2019

Research in Social Stratification and Mobility

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This paper compares the labor market position of women from religious minority backgrounds with that of the majority group of Christian White Canadian women. In particular, it examines the relative disadvantage of Muslim women in relation to labor market participation, unemployment rate and the likelihood of obtaining managerial and professional occupations. The analysis was carried out using data obtained from the 2011 Canadian National Household Survey (NHS). The results suggested that, relative to White Christian women, most ethno-religious groups were significantly disadvantaged in the Canadian labor market, especially in relation to participation and unemployment. However, the pattern that was found in relation to occupational attainment was different and worth discussing. Not all Muslim women seemed to be disadvantaged in obtaining managerial and professional jobs. Black and Arab Muslim women, surprisingly enough, were as likely as the majority, Christian White women to be represented within the category of managers and professionals. This paper considers cultural explanations and the role of discrimination and a human capital deficit, as well as suggesting new directions by proposing the hypothesis of 'discouraged women', in explaining the low rate of participation, and a 'surplus education' hypothesis to explain occupational attainment. However, by and large, structural inequality, fostered by cultural racism and that based on color, remains the most plausible explanation.

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Can Religious Affiliation Explain the Disadvantage of Muslim Women in the British Labour Market?

Cited by 33 publications

References 47 publications

Do values explain the low employment levels of Muslim women around the world? A within‐ and between‐country analysis

Do values explain the low employment levels of Muslim women around the world? A within‐ and between‐country analysis

The impact of youth labour market experiences on later employment opportunities: What roles do ethnicity and gender play?

Muslim women in the Canadian labor market: Between ethnic exclusion and religious discrimination

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