6. Conclusions

This research project was tasked with mapping a social ecology of the voices of influence in the lives of young Muslim Australians including their own, their peers’ and official voices of the society and government. Specifically it sought to identify the plurality and sources, of voices of influence, and the various ways which these shape the experience, attitudes, beliefs and opinions of young Muslim Australians. The research also sought to provide an assessment of practical measures, which can support young Muslim Australians, and to identify consistent gaps in government, non‐government and individual approaches in this regard. Mapping the social ecology of young people requires an understanding of their spaces and places of belonging, their social networks, figures and ideas of inspiration, voices of influence that contribute positively or negatively to social cohesion, and the strategies that enhance meaningful citizenship.

Mapping Social Ecology

The research shed light on the diversity to be found in the lives of young Muslim Australians. The

‘map’ revealed a wide diversity in cultural, linguistic, religious affiliation, of birthplace, whether immigrant background or second or third generation Australian, and educational, gender and class differences. What was very clear was that there is no one ‘Muslim’ identity or youth culture. Situated in that social ecological map are young individuals living through a period of transition, of personal development into adulthood. This period is best described as a time of identity testing, of finding oneself in an adult world. This is where the individual embarks on creating new spaces within the domain of the local, the Muslim and Australian communities, finding their place in a globalised world.

The research pointed to the fluid nature of identity development in young people, where they have hybrid identities. In mapping the voices of young Muslim Australians, we know that they feel a very strong connection and belonging to Australia, and that they ‘feel good’ about living here. They feel ‘integrated’ or part and parcel of the Australian polity, even though they recognize the negative perception and marginalized status imposed on them within the wider community. They do not lead ‘separate’ or ‘parallel’ lives to other Australians. They believe their practices of Islam and living as ‘Australians’ are compatible, talking about conciliatory ways of living within the wider community. Within that social ecology we see the expression and emergence of an ‘Australian Islam’, led and developed by young people. Young Muslim Australians are hopeful about the future, despite their concerns about negative perceptions of Islam and Muslims. Those of refugee backgrounds hold particularly high aspirations.

In mapping the social networks and connections of young Muslim Australians, we find they tend to have strong family and friendship ties. They have friends from a variety of backgrounds being comfortable in a mixed society. For some young Muslim Australians, socializing with alcohol is clearly uncomfortable, while others find creative ways of socializing that are acceptable to all parties.

The young people surveyed belonged to or participated in a range of organizations, Muslim and non‐Muslim. These included student associations, youth groups, mosque associations, sporting groups, community organizations and charities and many others.

Young Muslim Australians tend to function competently as modern individuals in spaces that define the contemporary world, particularly in relation to their use of the Internet and digital, electronic and print media, traversing the local through to the global. They are savvy with technology, which they use to network socially as well as to check the validity of news stories presented in the Australian context. All these aspects point to the richness inherent in these young people’s lives.